Minnesota Mixed Bag: Event at Bent Paddle Brewing to benefit the Boundary Waters set for July 5

Duluth, Minn. — Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters has several events occurring this summer around its “Paddlin’ for the Boundary Waters” campaign. The group’s online auction already is underway and runs through Tuesday, July 2. All proceeds from the auction go directly to SFBW’s work to protect the pristine water and wildlife of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

In addition, the group’s biggest event of the year happens on Friday, July 5, at Bent Paddle Brewing in Duluth. Presented by OnX Hunt, it’s a pre-party before the July 6 Trampled By Turtles concert featuring a free show from Dead Man Winter (including Dave Simonett.) The pre-party runs from 4 to 9 p.m. and includes exclusive raffle items and a special Bent Paddle beer release with proceeds going to SFBW.

For details on the July 5 event or to view items in the online auction, visit www.sportsmenbwca.org.

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HILL ANNEX MINE STATE PARK PERMANENTLY CLOSED TO ALLOW MINING TO RESUME

St. Paul — The DNR announced last week that Hill Annex Mine State Park in Calumet in northern Minnesota has been deauthorized as a state park and is now closed. The actions, the agency says, are consistent with the historical expectation that mining would return to this site.

“Over its 60-year history, Hill Annex Mine produced 63 million tons of iron ore and was the sixth-largest producer in the state.

Then it served generations of visitors as a small state park and helped tell our mining history,” said Ann Pierce, director of the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. “Now we are evaluating proposals to resume mining, which would contribute to local economies – and to Minnesota’s public schools.” When open-pit ore mining ceased in 1978, the Hill Annex Mine site became a visitor attraction operated by Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation. The legislation establishing Hill Annex Mine State Park was passed in 1988; the site was transferred to the Minnesota DNR in 1991. The legislation establishing the park recognized the possibility that mining may be conducted on the property in the future.

The DNR, IRRR, and community partners are discussing how to preserve artifacts in the former park’s Clubhouse Museum so they can be enjoyed by the public at a new location. When any mining concludes and mineral leases are no longer in place, the site will be evaluated for potential future uses in collaboration with community partners.

DNR ENCOURAGES ADOPTION OF WMAS

St. Paul — The Adopt-A-WMA Program was established to encourage sporting, outdoor, business, and civic groups or individuals to assist, on a volunteer basis, in improving and maintaining state wildlife management areas. The program encourages Minnesota volunteers to “adopt” a specific site, parking lot, or project on a WMA to help maintain these public lands in cooperation with wildlife managers.

Projects are typically focused on a minimum 2-year time commitment.

Volunteers must be able to work outdoors in various weather conditions safely without direct supervision except for initial guidance and orientation as needed. The work level of project/site depends on the interest and skill level of the volunteer(s).

Visit the DNR website for more information.

DNR SEEKS LOON MONITORING VOLUNTEERS

St. Paul — Now celebrating its 31st year, the Minnesota Loon Monitoring Program is recruiting volunteers to count the number of adult and juvenile loons on pre-selected lakes one morning between Friday, June 28, and Monday, July 8 Detailed instructions, training materials, maps, volunteer application forms, and a data sheet will be sent to you. Volunteers must commit to completing assigned lake(s) within the specified time frame and returning completed survey materials.

Volunteers must: complete the survey on one morning between June 28 and July 8; count loons and complete the survey between 5 a.m. and noon; commit to surveying for two to four hours per lake; and return completed survey materials.

To see what lakes need a loon monitor or to sign up, go to the Minnesota DNR’s Loon Monitoring webpage.

DNR SEEKS INPUT ON QUAD CITIES ATV CLUB TRAIL PROPOSAL

St. Paul — The DNR invites public review and written comments on a proposal by St. Louis County and the Quad Cities ATV Club to obtain grant-in-aid funding for an off-highway vehicle trail.

The trail is for all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles and connects the communities of Eveleth and Virginia to the U.S. Forest Service Big Aspen Trail system, Pfeiffer Lake area, and ultimately the Voyageur Country ATV system. GIA is a cost sharing program between the DNR, a local government sponsor, and a local club. The program funds development and maintenance of OHV trails.

The DNR will accept written comments on the proposal until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 15, 2024.

Comment may be submitted via email to joseph.majerus@state.mn.us with “Quad Cities ATV” in the email subject line or they may be mailed to Joe Majerus, area supervisor, Parks and Trails Division, Minnesota DNR, 650 Hwy 169, Tower, MN 55790.

A map of the proposed GIA trail segments can be found at the DNR’s OHV plans and proposals webpage. For more information, call Majerus at (218) 300-7842.