by Louise Segreto

Ikes (Izaak Walton League members) have passed on their Legacy of loyalty and commitment to the ideals and mission of the Izaak Walton League for almost 100 years. The more Ikes that I meet, the more I am reminded about how important the League has been to members who feel compelled to pass on their outdoor heritage and Legacy in the League to their family and friends. But, it seems that there are more challenges today than ever before with passing the torch to our next generation of Ikes. Speaking from personal experience, being married with two daughters, finding time as a family to be outdoors requires lots of planning and prioritizing to work around busy schedules and endless other options competing for free time.

A “legacy” is defined by Webster’s Dictionary generally to mean something that is transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor from the past. Someone who I can’t remember once said: “It is what we leave in them that matters most. Possessions and wealth do not a true legacy make.”

With this in mind, I think about what I can do to pass on my Ike’s Legacy. If you were to speak to my family and friends, they would likely relate a funny story: sitting for hours in a blind at Crex Meadows outside of Grantsburg, Wisconsin in the wee hours of the morning to see male sharp-tail grouse do his courtship dance, a spring expedition to Rainey River on a grey windy day bobbing in a small boat getting seasick while waiting for the behemoth sturgeon to bite, or our multiday dogsledding and camping expedition outside of Ely on a subzero February weekend when my family almost became human popsicles. We all have stories like these that we laugh about, retell over and over, and which over time become bigger than they were in reality. It is these shared memories of outdoor experiences that pass on our Ike’s passion to advocate for our natural world and allow us to pass on our Legacy. All it takes is time, planning and a non-selfish attitude to invite someone with less experience and skills to join you on such outdoor adventures.

Those of us with hunting and fishing traditions may have an easier time of passing the torch. The annual duck hunt, deer hunt, or fishing trip is firmly ingrained in many family/extended family traditions. These multi-day activities create intergenerational social glue which forms the fertile grounds for Legacies to be created arising out of shared deep connections to nature and the outdoors. But, even for those who do not have hunting and fishing traditions, there are so many other opportunities that allow for intergenerational outdoor experiences: foraging for wild mushrooms and berries, nature photography, long distance hiking, snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing, or canoeing. And for those less physically active, perhaps a family trip to a nearby nature center, a road trip up to northern Minnesota to Sax-Zim Bog to go owling (looking for owls), or a spring expedition to the Platte River in Nebraska to witness the amazing Sandhill Crane and Snow Goose migration. The list can go on and on.

And, for those non-sporting traditionalists, there are endless ways to make an activity unique and “Instagram worthy.” Why not rent a “princess palace” ice house on Lake Mille Lacs with curtains and a flat screen tv and plan a poetry reading with chocolate fondue and champagne? (Don’t judge, I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and that’s how I ice fish!) The times may require more creative hooks to entice less outdoorsy people to venture outside. And, I think it really helps to be open to using modern technology and nature related phone apps to bridge the generational gap.

Heading into the holidays is the perfect time to give some thought to what you are doing to pass on your Ike Legacy. The gift of time spent outdoors as a role model or mentor to friends and family by inviting them to join you on an outdoor adventure will be far more memorable than another raft of wrapped presents under the tree. Or, what about gifting an Izaak Walton League membership to a friend or family member? The intangible memories and lessons that we pass on to others in the outdoors is part of being an Ike. I urge you to take some time to think about your Ike’s Legacy. If we don’t, we run the risk of there being no one to hand the torch to when we are gone.

And, speaking of not being around forever, please do not forget the Izaak Walton League Bush Lake Chapter in your year-end charitable giving and estate planning. With so many funding cutbacks, your generous gift is more meaningful than ever before. Here’s to a Happy Holiday Season and many new adventures in the New Year!

by Louise Segreto

Fall is a fabulous time to switch up your foliage tradition and view the leaf colors at our often forgotten statewide Scientific and Natural Areas (“SNAs”).   There are 168 SNAs scattered around the State of Minnesota and several in the Twin Cities metro area.  Minnesota’s first SNAs were established by the Minnesota Legislature in 1969 to preserve and protect unique lands and waters that have natural features, plants and animals of exceptional scientific and educational value. SNAs are public lands that offer some of the best of what Minnesota has to offer in the natural world. They offer opportunities for solitude and exploration off the beaten trail.

Scientific & Natural Areas in our region. MNDNR 

Ikes have always advocated for the establishment and protection of public lands, so in keeping with this tradition on National Public Land’s Day (Sept. 22^nd), I decided to visit Lost Valley Prairie SNA in Hastings. I volunteered with a small group of like -minded folks collecting prairie seeds at this remarkable remnant prairie. I have driven past Hastings many times, but never knew that Lost Valley Prairie even existed.  What a hidden gem!  A beautiful bedrock bluff prairie featuring a series of limestone ridges and original prairie swales.

 

Lost Valley does have a trail (SNAs frequently don’t) but like most other SNAs there is neither drinking water, nor restrooms. There was only minimal signage along with a small kiosk with a map and some information about the unique features of the SNA. 

 

But, everything you need to know to get started can be found at the Minnesota DNR’s website:  https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/index.html  The names, locations, and short descriptions of all of Minnesota’s SNAs,  along with area maps with how to access and where to park are all on-line. Consider getting involved in volunteer work and special events at an SNA. And, several SNAs are looking for a Site Steward. Site Steward applications are on-line and serving simply requires that you visit the site about once a month and submit observations 4X per year. Sounds like a dream volunteer job assignment to me.  There is also a great non-profit organization, Friends of Minnesota Scientific & Natural Areas, which was formed to advocate for the establishment, use, management, and perpetuation of Minnesota's SNAs in an undisturbed natural state. Many Ikes are involved in this organization- check them out and support their efforts here: www.snafriends.org

SNAs are open all year round, but parking and access roads may not be regularly maintained/plowed.  Great snowshoe and cross country ski opportunities!  Bring a compass or GPS and be sure to access the DNR’s website for maps before you leave home in case your cell coverage is weak at the location. Be safe and don’t forget to wear your blaze orange during hunting seasons since many SNAs allow hunting. Leave your berry and mushroom baskets home because picking/harvesting is allowed only at a few areas. 

Do your part as an Ike and help support our SNAs in Minnesota!  

I am headed next to Wolsfeld Woods in Long Lake, a remnant Big Woods tract that should have some beautiful autumn colors. And, then on to Savage Fen in Scott County for a change of scenery.  Hoping I’ll bump into you at a SNA soon!   

By Louise Segreto

Watching the fierce green fire die in the eyes of a wolf that he had mindlessly hunted and shot in a remote Arizona rim rock canyon, Aldo Leopold had an epiphany. He came to the realization that humans have a moral responsibility to the natural world. Because we are a part of the broader natural community consisting of the complex interrelationships between soils, water, plants and animals (collectively, the land), we have an ethical duty to care about preserving and safeguarding the relationships to the land. This way of thinking was a major departure from the then accepted widespread mindset in the U.S., that humans must dominate the wild and that all that is wild should solely serve man for utilitarian purposes.

Over the years, Leopold (1887-1948) a trained forester, conservationist, educator, philosopher and writer, refined his thoughts into a Land Ethic that needs to be rekindled in our troubled times of environmental assaults and looming environmental threats.  His timeless book of essays, “A Sand County Almanac”, published in 1949, is both a seasonal account of Leopold’s keen nature observations on a worn -out, 80 acre, farm outside of Baraboo, Wisconsin. Here he lived with his family for years, working with the land to restore it to ecological health. “A Sand County Almanac” is an impassioned plea for a wilderness philosophy and our need for a sustainable land ethic. 

 

Join us for two evenings to learn more about Aldo Leopold!

 

On Thursday, September 13 at 6:30 PM at the Bush Lake Chapter Lodge we will  screen the Emmy Award winning film: “Green Fire” (approx. 60 min).  “Green Fire” explores the life and legacy of Aldo Leopold and the many ways that his land ethic lives on in the work of people and organizations all over the country

 

Chapter historian, Louise Segreto, will introduce the film and lead the first session of a two evening Ike’s Green Reads book discussion about “A Sand County Almanac”.  The second discussion evening will be held on another Thursday evening in October- date to be announced. 

by Louise Segreto

Millions of acres of our public lands in southern Utah’s Redrock country are under attack. The risk of losing these world class wilderness lands is a National issue, not just a Utah issue. IKE’s have always advocated for public lands. And, as both an American and member of the IWL, you have a voice about conserving these lands for generations to come. The future of the Redrock wilderness rests upon the shoulders of all of us!

The assault started in December of 2017 when Trump proclaimed a roll back in protections shrinking Bears Ears Monument by 2 million acres (an 85% reduction) and Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument by 1 million acres (almost a 50% reduction).  Both Monuments are strategically located very close to our National Parks:  Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches. This sensitive and unique area is our largest last remaining wilderness area in America. Making matters worse, several Utah politicians jumped on the Trump Administration’s land grab bandwagon. Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and Utah Republican Representatives Rob Bishop, Curtis, and Stewart are attempting to push through three different legislative bills to seize management of these lands to benefit: the energy industry, off-road vehicle users, livestock grazing, and mining interests. These uses and the spider network of roads that would ensue will have disastrous effects. Once lost, these lands will be gone forever.

But, many Americans are pushing back hard to resist these changes. Including, at least five native American Tribes who have joined together to fight back to save their sacred lands in Bears Ears. Multiple legal suits are pending to block Trump’s unlawful use of the Antiquities Act and the U.S. Constitution to slash protections for the two Monuments.  And, as a back drop to the 2017 set -backs, coalitions of citizen activists and conservation groups have been working tirelessly for years to gain congressional support for the visionary proposed “America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (ARRWA).” If passed, the ARRWA would protect 9,000,000 acres of Utah Wilderness.  

 

What can you do to learn more? 

 

·          Consider joining the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to defend Utah’s Redrock wilderness.  Check out their web-site:  www.suwa.org or on Facebook

 

·          Get involved with Minnesota Friends for Utah Wilderness, a coalition of people and groups here in Minnesota who are advocating for Redrock  wilderness protections.  Check them out on Facebook.

 

Having just returned from spending several days this June at SUWA’s Redrock Grassroots Leadership retreat outside of Boulder Utah, I recognize that the battle to save these public lands will not be won quickly. Nevertheless, as the sun sinks over the vast Redrock canyonlands to the song of a cactus wren trilling, I feel compelled to Stand up and fight for Southern Utah’s Public Lands and I hope you do too! 

By Doug Claycomb, Outdoor Ethics Chair  

May is a beautiful month in Minnesota. As the wildflowers pop and the tom turkeys strut, May is the month for morel hunting. It offers a perfect excuse to get out into the spring woods just in the nick of time before the mosquitoes arrive. The morel is a delicious wild mushroom found throughout the state, including the Twin Cities. Of course, a reasonable amount of prudence is necessary when harvesting wild mushrooms. But fear of dying should not be a reason to refrain from mushroom hunting. What are the chances? Besides, it makes for a great introduction to your obituary: “ate the wrong mushroom.”

Nancy and I are hardly professional mycologists but we do enjoy getting out in the woods after these long Minnesota winters. We hunt morels every spring and we do it right here in Bloomington. There are literally hundreds of little patches of woods in the city and most of them, if searched, will render morels.

Hunting morels is like fishing--you have to be ready to come back empty-handed, time after time, until you start to figure out how to do it. And even then, you’ll get skunked half the time. If you don’t have the disposition to find enjoyment in the serendipity of the sublime--like a colorful insect, beautiful sunset, ebullient flock of geese, or just the smell of damp leaves and soil--then morel hunting is probably not a good fit for you. Otherwise, keep reading.

Fear of death keeps many of us from participating in this fantastic outdoor activity--and it shouldn’t. Sure, there are lots of “iffy” mushrooms which you need to be an expert to harvest. But the morel is relatively easy to identify. It is considered a “beginner mushroom” because it is not easily confused with dangerous ones. And it is also one of the most delectable and plentiful mushrooms the woods offers. If you like mushrooms, you will love morels--especially after you find them yourself. Here’s how to do it.

Morels are available for only a few weeks each year--usually in May in this part of Minnesota. So the most important thing to do is to get out and get looking--don’t let the season pass. There are some natural indicators of morel time. They emerge at about the same time the dandelions first go to seed and the lilacs bloom. Also, morels tend to emerge a day or two after a rain when the nights are warm. If you find morels a few days too late, they’ll be brittle, ugly, bug-ridden and crumbly. Harvest them anyway. They all taste the same.  There is no such thing as a bad-tasting morel. 

Identification of morels is relatively easy. Purchase a good field guide and use it. Other than false morels, which are easy to distinguish using 100 Edible Mushrooms by Michael Kuo, nothing else looks like a morel in Minnesota in May. A couple rules of thumb: morels are always entirely hollow inside (stem and cap form one continuous hollow chamber), they are never slimy, gooey, or sticky, they grow from the ground (never from a log or stump) and they have a fresh “earthy” mushroom smell (not foul or pungent).

Where to hunt morels is every mushroom hunter’s secret. Nobody divulges their favorite spots, so you will have to find your own. With persistence, and several outings, you should be able to find success the first year you try. The darned things have a tendency to pop up almost anywhere--sometimes even in suburban lawns. Here are a few tips to get you started. They are almost always found in association with trees--especially recently cut, burned, or disturbed woods.  I often find luck near recently deceased trees--especially diseased elms with bark just beginning to peel. In general, just walk around the woods with your head down, scanning the ground. Eventually, they’ll show up. I promise. When you finally do find one, keep looking in the same area for more. There will usually be more. Morels are almost never solitary. Cut them off at ground level with a sharp knife and carry them home gently in a basket or sack. When bringing your haul out of the woods, conceal the bounty. Nosey people are everywhere. You don’t want competition.

If you find a hot spot, return every few days. More morels sometimes emerge! After a few years, you’ll have several secret spots. Return to these spots but continue to find new ones. You’ll need new spots as old ones grow cold. Of course, make sure you have permission to hunt mushrooms on private property and consult the rules on public land.

When done hunting, take them into the kitchen for preparation. Pare away any attached dirt and cut each morel in half lengthwise. Doing this, you not only verify that each one is completely hollow inside (if not hollow, it’s not a morel--throw away), but also allow the multitude of critters (especially pill bugs) to escape. Toss the halved morels into cold water and gently agitate them to release the sand and grit. Washed fresh morels are ready to be either cooked or dehydrated. 

Unlike store-bought mushrooms, all wild mushrooms must be cooked before eaten. There are hundreds of on-line recipes, but I like it simple. I take clean, cut-up morels and sauté them in butter for maybe a minute at most. Don’t over-cook morels. They release a lot of water in the pan and I use it as the base of a white sauce by adding a milk-flour mixture, cooking another minute until bubbly, then salt and pepper to taste. That’s it! I pour the whole concoction over toast. Mmmm!

If you have a really good foray and come home with too many morels, dehydrate them. A warm oven will work but a food dehydrator works best. Dried morels will keep for years in an airtight container. This way, you can enjoy morels any time of year. To rehydrate them, soak in a bowl of warm water for an hour or so and they are ready to cook. The water used to rehydrate them will turn to a brown liquor--a delicious base for mushroom gravy, broth or sauce. Enjoy!

For more information:

Kuo, Michael. 2007. 100 Edible Mushrooms. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

http://minnesotamycologicalsociety.org/

http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/12.-YELLOW-MOREL-1.pdf

http://www.mykoweb.com/cookbook/part_1.html

http://www.startribune.com/how-to-find-your-own-morel-mushrooms/255679431/

https://www.facebook.com/Minnesota-Morel-Hunters-749799028387237/

https://midwestweekends.com/plan_a_trip/nature/wildflowers/morel_mushrooms.html

DNR comments due March 6th:  http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ polymet/permitting/ptm.html   MPCA comments due March 16th:   https://www.pca.state. mn.us/northmet

See below for comment suggestions!

The foreign PolyMet Mining Corporation has proposed to dig the first ever copper-sulfide mine in Minnesota on Superior National Forest lands, threatening local water supplies, the Lake Superior watershed, and downstream residents. Communities at risk include some of the largest populations in Northeast Minnesota – Duluth, Cloquet, and the Fond du Lac Reservation.

CORPORATE GAIN – PUBLIC LOSS

•        The DNR has estimated that mine closure and centuries of water treatment would cost more than$1 billon. But the DNR proposes that PolyMet would get a permit to mine by guaranteeing less than 10% of that amount up front, with almost no insurance for spills or dam collapse.

•        Even though mining companies are supposed to provide financial assurance for clean up, the record from other states shows that cleanup costs exceed projections, with taxpayers footing the bill. In addition, financial assurance does not prevent the destruction of forests, wetlands, water quality, wildlife habitat, scenic areas, and biodiversity. Financial assurance does not cover catastrophic mine disasters such as those that occurred at Mount Polley in Canada and the Fundao dam collapse in Brazil which killed 19 people.

THREAT TO HEALTH, FISH, AND WILDLIFE

•        Sulfates directly contribute to the methylation of mercury, with resulting fish consumption advisories. The old LTV taconite property purchased by PolyMet is already leaching sulfates and other metals into the watershed.

•        In addition to an acute potential for Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) and the discharge of heavy metals to the St. Louis River watershed, the PolyMet mine would discharge sulfates at a level that could decimate wild rice stands downstream. Wild rice holds critical importance for Minnesota’s Native American tribes, and the St. Louis River watershed flows through tribal lands.

REVERSE OSMOSIS WON’T SAVE US

•        PolyMet is pushing the false narrative that reverse osmosis technology can solve pollution problems. PolyMet cites no example where reverse osmosis has been used at a similar scale to control mining pollution.  

•        A 2012 news release by PolyMet noted that in their pilot reverse osmosis test, they did not use actual sulfide mining wastewater.

•        Perhaps most important, pollution that seeps into groundwater from mine pits, tailings, and wastes would never be treated. MPCA permits don’t control any pollution that seeps from groundwater into wetlands and streams.

BOOM-AND-BUST EXTRACTION ECONOMY

•        Permitting of the PolyMet mine would open the door to a flood of sulfide mine applications, setting the stage for an extreme extraction economy in Northern Minnesota.

•        In the words of former Iron Range mine electrician Bob Tammen, “The coal mining industry is destroying West Virginia from the top down as it goes after dirty coal by mountain topping. The copper mining industry will destroy Minnesota from the bottom up as it degrades our ground water and surface water by mining in our lakes, rivers, and wetlands…. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, mining is less than 1 percent of Minnesota’s economy. Instead of destroying our wetlands, we should diversify our Range economy.”

by Louise Segreto

Let’s admit it, sitting down to read “The Compleat Angler” can be very intimidating.  This revered book written by Izaak Walton and first published in 1653 is often cited, but seldom read today.  For good reason, I have over the years tried with solid resolve on severval occasions and given up…until just recently, when I changed my approach and finally did read it.  Now I understand why this literary masterpiece has inspired so many people over the centuries. 

Here are 10 practical  tips to make your reading “The Compleat Angler” (the “Book”) fun, informative and relevant:

1.       Say the title: “The Compleat Angler” out loud with authority.  Get over the archaic spelling of “compleat.”  It is just the old English spelling of “complete.” And, for that matter, relax and read or better yet skim at least 20 pages of the book before you put it down in defeat.  It is a lot like reading Shakespeare- go with the flow of the verse and prose.  And, just as you begin to get a bit lost, you will come upon a philosophical thought, a brilliant adage, or a keen observation by the master naturalist, Izaak Walton.   

2.       Consider the historical context of when Izaak Walton wrote.  Just several years before the book was published, the English King, Charles I, was executed and the monarchy overthrown.  The Puritan movement with its austerity and religious extremism was in full swing.  Walton was about 60 years old when the book was published. He was a royalist (supported the monarchy) and a Christian moderate who took great pleasure in escaping to relax and fish in the English countryside as a relief from what was going on politically.  Today, with the political machinations in Washington,  I think that we all can identify with how Walton must have felt.

3.       Don’t be daunted by Biblical references.  The Book is full of references to the Bible and unless you are a biblical scholar, my advice is simply understand that many of Walton’s fishing buddies were priests, that Walton was a religious man and that the Book was written during religiously turbulent times.  It is interesting to note that the clergy at that time did not hunt, but fished.  It was believed that the quiet contemplation of angling was more in keeping with the traditional path of religious life. Also, Walton subscribes to a naturalistic theology of sorts—finding God through the contemplation of his creations.

4.      Select one of the many poems that Walton incorporates into the Book.  Copy it and put it in your tackle-box in a zip lock plastic bag.  I chose the poem about Spring by Sir Henry Wotton which appears in  Part I, Chapter V.  Reading it aloud while sitting on an ice bucket on the Mississippi River in Minnesota one sub zero January day made me feel smart.

5.       Embrace the Book’s refusal to fit neatly into any one literary niche.  Yes, it is a practical fishing guide for anglers, but the information is presented in a poetical dramatic dialogue between 3 major characters:  Piscator-the Angler, Venator-the Hunter and Auceps -the Falconer.  The names are Latin for what the characters represent.  This style of writing was then common.  Literary scholars refer to such idealized descriptions combined with witty and rhetorical commentaries of the English country and rural life as “pastorals.”

6.      Compare your favorite fish recipe with one of Walton’s.  Check out his recipes for Chubs in Part I, Chapter III; one for spit roasting and the other for charcoal broiling. Salt, butter and herbs.  Some things never change!

7.       Highlight passages in which Izaak Walton describes his profound understanding of natural history and eco systems centuries before his time. You will find descriptions of his thoughts on regulating fishing during spawning seasons, the effect of carp as an invasive species to lake ecology, and detailed descriptions of insects and phenology.

8.      Make a list of all the reasons why Walton believed that angling is an Art and what virtues a good fisherman must possess.

9.       Find a philosophical musing that resonates with you.  I honed in on: “Angling can prove to be so pleasant, that it proves to be like virtue, a reward to its self.”  Translated:  it doesn’t matter whether or not you catch a fish or not.

10.   Enjoy the illustrations.  The Book contains 6 small black and white copper plate engravings of different fish species.  The artist’s name is lost to history.

Lastly, I lied, “The Compleat Angler” is not only the work of Izaak Walton.  Part II of the Book was written by Walton’s dear friend Charles Cotton.  The swashbuckling and adventurous Cotton was 37 years younger than Walton and admired and adored Walton with a fondness as a son for a father.  They fished together.  Cotton picks up Part II with the same characters that Walton began and continues their dialogue about how to stream fish for trout and grayling with great detail about different flies, what they look like and how they are made. It is somewhat tedious unless you are an accomplished fly fisherperson.

Challenge yourself and read “The Compleat Angler” this year.  But, read it on your own terms.  Remember you don’t have to read and understand every word of the Book to get a big return on your time.  Perhaps a print copy may be a better choice than an electronic copy for purposes of notating and highlighting.   I’m looking forward to listening to the audio version.  I hope that the above tips help your reading journey. Great journeys are meant to be shared.  Pass your copy of the Book on to someone you know when you’re done. 

Winter Rabbit Hunting 

By Douglas Claycomb, Outdoor Ethics Chair

Winter makes Minnesota special. If you don’t get out and take advantage of the bright white cold, you might as well live in Texas. They have lakes too. But, for those of us who don’t ski, it’s sometimes hard to find a way to get some vigorous exercise in February. Ice fishing is peaceful and fun but sedentary. As for recreational snowmobiling: smoke, noise? Forget it! That is why I am thankful rabbit season lasts until the end of February. Most years, during the months of January and February, I venture out a half dozen times or so into the bright white cold: in pursuit of a rabbit dinner. I usually come home with nothing but numb feet, wind-chapped cheeks, and tired legs. But, you see, while getting a rabbit is the goal, it’s not really the point of it. If you have a moment, I’ll tell you about it.

The dead of winter is like no other time of year. The woods are stark and twigs snap with a brittle frozen “crack.” The snow squeaks under your boot and, at first, the air stings your nostrils. But after a few minutes, it’s fine: a runny nose is an auto-defensive strategy. The nose knows. This is the only time of year when you can be simultaneously cold and hot. Although fingers and toes are cold, exercise warms your middle. Through trial and error, each hunter learns just the right way to dress, sort of, most of the time.

There is no “right way” to hunt rabbits, but here are a few tips. First is finding a place to hunt. If you want to hunt private land, get permission. But why kowtow to a landowner when there is plenty of public land? Several units of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and numerous nearby Wildlife Management Areas (e.g. Bradshaw Lake WMA in Scott County and Esker WMA in Rice County) are loaded with rabbits—and almost nobody hunts them in winter’s cold. Stepping out with your shotgun, clad in hunter orange, do not expect to see rabbits “hopping about,” frolicking in the snow. They are a prey species and they seem to know that their brown coat offers no camouflage against a white, snowy background. Cleverly, in winter rabbits are nocturnal: feeding at night on buds, twigs, and bark; hiding during daylight (hunting) hours. So, look for their sign: tracks and scat in the snow and saplings with bark stripped near ground level. If you see sign, there are rabbits near.

Scaring them out of hiding, or “jumping” them, is exercise. Rabbits like to hide in thick tangles if vegetation (especially briars) and under debris. In winter, they especially like tall grasses bent over under the weight of snow, forming snow-cave-like hiding spots. Sometimes you find rabbits completely buried under a new-fallen snow. Unless you have a dog, the only way to jump them is to stomp, kick, and thrash about. Then, when a rabbit jumps, you need to be ready.

Rabbits go like greased lightning, zig zagging among trees and other obstacles, making it quite a challenge for the shotgunner. You need to be ready. Lead them a little bit—shoot where they will be, not where they are—have luck on your side, and never shoot in your companion’s direction (a way to end a friendship). Unlike tougher critters (e.g. squirrels), it does not take much to kill these soft targets. Hold off if the rabbit is too close (< 20 yds.) or too far (>50 yds.). Too close and the animal is inedible; too far, crippled and lost. Try to hit them in their front half, not the rear. The front is mostly vital organs (the target) and the back is meat and guts: neither of which you want to damage. Use a shotgun with #6-8 lead or, a greener alternative is #4-6 steel (in some places steel is the law- the Bush Lake Chapter Izaak Walton League recommends using lead free shot whenever possible). Steel shot needs to be larger because it is less dense than lead. Although steel is a lot easier on the environment, it is also more dangerous to your teeth. Be extra certain to pluck all the steel out of a rabbit before serving.

Once you have the rabbit in-hand, remove the guts right away—very carefully. Using a knife to open the abdomen, it is easy to accidently slit the gut. You know what is in guts—and you do not want it associated with food. Cut through the sternum to the neck and remove lungs and heart. To keep the meat clean, leave the skin on until after the hunt. At the end of the day, pull the skin off, wash in cold water, removing any hairs or debris. Rabbit meat spoils quickly, like poultry, so keep it cold. Some people soak rabbit overnight in salt water before cooking; others cook it right away. Some people cut up their rabbit into pieces; others cook it whole. As for recipes—there are hundreds on the internet. I like mine breaded and fried in a skillet, like chicken. Simple.

For me, rabbit hunting is a much better way to waste a day than sitting on a couch watching playoffs, eating chips, getting fat. The exercise, winter air, and white woods refreshes the soul. I always seem to see something unexpected—a coyote, grouse, otter, etc.—and I usually have exciting tales to tell. If not, I make one up, I lie—nobody knows the difference. Every now and then, I feed my family a rabbit dinner. In truth, I could not say if any of them like rabbit. They say they do. Would they tell me otherwise?

If you decide to give it a try, buy a license, read the rules, and be safe. Let me know if you have a good recipe.

IKES’ PLEDGE

By Louise Segreto, Chapter Historian

Every Bush Lake Chapter Board Meeting begins by our reciting aloud, in unison, the Izaak Walton League of America’s Pledge Statement:

“To strive for the purity of water, the clarity of air, and the wise stewardship of the land and its resources; to know the beauty and understanding of nature and the value of wildlife, woodlands and open space; to the preservation of this heritage and to our sharing of it, I pledge myself as a member of the Izaak Walton League of America.”

Reciting our Pledge before each meeting is an excellent reminder of the ideals that we as a Board need keep in mind as we conduct Chapter business. A “pledge” is a solemn promise or undertaking according to Webster’s Dictionary. And, solemnly pledging to defend our environment can often feel to me to be overwhelming. It seems a promise only a super hero could hope to fulfill. But, in a way, I think that every one of our members is a caped super hero, each making individual contributions to our Chapter and the League. Imagine 43,000 caped crusaders dressed in tight bright Lycra from 240 Chapters nationwide fighting for the future of our planet!

The Ikes’ Pledge (Izaak Walton League members are known as “Ikes”) serves as a mission statement that is much broader than any other environmental organization in the U.S. Our Pledge is not limited to protecting a specific plant or animal species or habitat, but encompasses the earth’s triumvirate: water, air, and soil. It challenges us to consider and share the intangible benefits of nature such as beauty. And, it asks us to value both the intrinsic and economic values of wildlife, woodlands and open space. This almost overwhelmingly broad mission speaks in large part to how long the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) has been on the scene. The IWLA was established almost 100 years ago when idealism was high and people were boundlessly optimistic about what they might accomplish. I am not so sure that if the IWLA was being organized today, a non-profit board charged with writing our mission statement, would dare to reach so far and broad.

That being said, the IWLA has stayed true to its mission and has been very successful on so many fronts. Over the years, the IWLA has been involved in almost every major national conservation program in the U.S. Ikes have effected change and influenced public policy in five major areas.

Here are just some examples of the League’s accomplishments:

• Clean Water: IWLA has been in the forefront of almost every major clean water battle in the U.S.
• Public Lands: IWLA led the charge to form our Federal Land & Water Conservation Fund which is used to acquire public land. In Minnesota, the League was very instrumental in creating the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, Superior National Forest, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Isle Royale National Park and Voyagers National Park.
• Farm Policy: IWLA has supported many state and federal regulatory policy changes to reduce erosion and regulate the use of toxic agricultural chemicals. It paved the way to set aside marginal farmland into “conservation reserves” and influenced federal/state subsidy programs linked to conservation practices that protect our soil and water quality.
• Clean & Renewable Energy: IWLA promotes renewable energy resources, advocates for the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, and has been a proponent of Federal regulations on coal-fire power plants to reduce emissions.
• Community Based Conservation: IWLA through its Chapters across the U.S. has been involved in innumerable conservation projects, fish and wildlife habitat restorations, trail building, fish breeding, tree planting and outdoor skill building and youth programs.

When I reflect upon the IWLA Pledge and what it has accomplished since it was formed in 1921, I am inspired to continue the League’s legacy of environmental work and activism. Thinking back to when I was young, I loved the adventures of DC Comic’s Justice League superheroes: Superwoman, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. And so, refusing to be resigned into thinking that I cannot make a difference, I put on my imaginary caped crusader outfit and try to fight for the purity of water, the clarity of air, and the wise stewardship of the land and its resources. Together we can make a difference. Perhaps it is time for you too to find your super power and consider becoming more active in our Chapter’s good work. Capes and Lycra are of course optional!

Study to Be Quiet- by Louise Segreto, Chapter Historian

Think of the noise in your life. We are bombarded by man-made sounds that intrude upon our thoughts causing stress and fatigue. Have you ever considered what the long term effect of living in such a noisy world might be?

The phrase “Study to be Quiet” was one of Izaak Walton’s favorite mottos. It embodied Walton’s philosophy and way of life. So important to him was the tranquility and solace that he found in angling that he chose to end his most famous book “Compleat Angler” with these final four words: “Study to be Quiet”.

Walton died December 15, 1683 at the age of 90 and was buried in Winchester Cathedral, England. Winchester is about seventy miles south east of London. The Cathedral’s south transept contains a small simple chapel with a stained-glass window. Funded by English and American fishermen in 1914, it is a memorial to Izaak Walton. The window depicts Walton sitting quietly reading, his fishing rod beside him. Below the image, written in stained glass: “Study to be Quiet”. Fisherman’s Chapel at Winchester Cathedral has become a place of pilgrimage for anglers from all over the world.

The phrase “Study to be Quiet” is Biblical in origin (1 Thessalonians 4:11). While Biblical scholars attribute the verse to the virtue in being humble in spirit, word and action, Walton appropriated and expanded the phrase to extol the spiritual benefits gained by quiet contemplation immersed in nature angling in his beloved trout streams.

Walton lived during turbulent times in England. A bloody civil war raged across England for almost ten years (1642-1651). Additionally, Walton suffered profound personal losses in the deaths of two wives and eight young children. Angling and writing offered Walton a place of respite for peace and emotional healing. He found the close friendships and insights into nature formed during angling to be far more compelling than the number of fish that he hooked.

I find that the phrase “Study to be Quiet” is as relevant today as when Izaak Walton lived. During these trying times of political turmoil, heightened reliance on technology, and increased detachment from our natural world, all of us would do well to heed Izaak Walton’s favorite motto.