Want to get outside and enjoy spring (such as it is)? Here are some ideas to get you started
Apr. 28—The spring of 2023 has been a bit of a dud so far — one step forward and two steps back — but despite the weather setbacks, the promise of the season and better days ahead is cause for optimism.
With that in mind, here are some ideas for enjoying the outdoors this spring. From state park activities to watching grouse perform their elaborate mating displays, opportunities abound.
The opportunity to watch male prairie chickens on their booming grounds from the comfort of strategically placed viewing blinds has become an increasingly popular spring activity in recent years. This spring, however, sharp-tailed grouse offer the best viewing opportunities.
A prairie chicken blind at Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge in Polk County is fully booked for the season, but a blind set up at a sharptail lek has "just a handful of unreserved mornings during the second week of May," said Gregg Knutsen, manager of Glacial Ridge and Rydell NWRs.
To reserve the sharptail blind, call Rydell National Wildlife Refuge at (218) 687-2229 and select "Visitor Center" at the prompt. That will connect callers with Emily Larsen, biological technician, who can try to line up a reservation. If Larsen is unavailable, callers should leave a voicemail or send an email to
.
Meanwhile, prairie chickens no longer use a booming ground on the Tympanuchus Wildlife Management Area southeast of Crookston, so that blind isn't available this year, said Emily Hutchins, area wildlife manager for the Department of Natural Resources in Erskine, Minnesota.
"One to three booming males were seen last year, and none of them have returned," Hutchins said. "We're not sure what happened. We are doing surveys now and trying to scout a new location on a WMA for our blind next year."
Dan Svedarsky, a professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota Crookston, in recent years has offered a deluxe chicken blind he calls the "Taj Ma Chicken" on a private-land booming ground. This year, however, the Taj Ma Chicken is "dry docked" because of wet conditions, Svedarsky says. He may have a chicken blind later if conditions improve.
On the upside, Svedarsky does offer a sharptail blind — the "Sharpie Shack" — on a lek that currently has more than 20 male sharptails vying for a mate. To reserve the blind, contact Svedarsky at
and he will coordinate and send a map.
For wildlife watchers who don't mind driving a bit farther, Red Lake Wildlife Management Area at Norris Camp south of Roosevelt, Minnesota, again this spring will offer a blind to view a drumming ruffed grouse, said Charlie Tucker, manager of Red Lake WMA. The ruffies haven't started drumming yet — blame the goofy spring — so the blind isn't set up, Tucker says, but anyone interested in checking out the blind when it's available can call Red Lake WMA at (218) 783-6861 or email Tucker at
.
A bit farther east, the DNR area wildlife office in Baudette, Minnesota, is offering a sharptail blind again this spring, according to Scott Laudenslager, area DNR wildlife manager in Baudette. Located about 20 minutes from Baudette, the blind can accommodate three people and is big enough for camera gear, Laudenslager says. The blind will be available through the first week of May and can be reserved by contacting Laudenslager at (218) 395-0742.
It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but scouring the fields and forests for shed antlers is a popular spring pastime among many outdoors enthusiasts.
Just don't ask anyone to reveal their favorite spots. Hunting for shed antlers can be a competitive venture.
Where to look is anyone's guess, but early spring after the snow melts and before the vegetation gets too tall is a good time to find both new and older antlers. Established deer trails, food plots or other areas where deer tend to frequent are good starting points.
This should go without saying, but be sure to have permission if shed hunting on private land.
Collecting shed antlers does not require a license in either North Dakota or Minnesota, but regulations on public land vary by state and by the type of public land. In Minnesota, for example, shed antlers may be collected for personal use in state forests, wildlife management areas, national forests and county lands, but not in Scientific and Natural Areas, state parks or state recreation areas.
North Dakota allows shed hunting on state wildlife management areas, but it is not legal on lands enrolled in the Game and Fish Department's Private Land Open to Sportsmen (PLOTS) program. Other state-managed lands are open to shed hunting, as well, unless specifically posted as closed.
In addition, shed hunting is generally not allowed in national parks or national wildlife refuges.
Bottom line: Know before you go.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on its YouTube Channel offers an
excellent webinar on shed hunting basics and regulations.
Another tip: Be on the lookout for ticks, which tend to be out in force during prime shed hunting time.
A variety of opportunities to get outside are available this spring at state parks within a couple of hours of Grand Forks. A closer look:
Here's a "novel" approach — pardon the pun — to enjoying the outdoors. Lake Bemidji State Park is offering a
"Writing Under the Full Moon"
event from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 5. Open to people 18 and older, the guided approach to writing, which will be offered monthly at the park, includes a short walk outdoors (weather permitting), followed by an opportunity for participants to find their own voice. "No experience needed, only a wee bit of courage," the website states. Registration is required, and group size is limited to six. For more information, contact Annettee Drewes at
.
Lake Bemidji State Park also is offering an
"April Showers Bring Wildflowers Hike"
from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 13. Participants will hike the Rocky Point Interpretive Trail to look for early spring wildflowers. For more information, contact Christa Drake at (218) 308-2300 or by email at
.
On May 19-20,
"Feathered Friends" is the topic of interpretive programs at Turtle River State Park
near Arvilla, North Dakota. Events include an amphitheater program, "Raving About Raptors," at 8 p.m. Friday, May 19; a "Trail Trekkers" hike at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 20 (meet at the CCC trailhead); and a "Birding Basics" amphitheater program, followed by a hike, at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 20. For more information, contact the park at (701) 795-3180.
On Saturday, May 20, Itasca State Park is offering a
"Take Flight! Spotting Spring Birds"
hike from 8 to 10 a.m. Participants will meet at the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center and join birder and instructor Ron Miller for a birding walk to discover breeding birds and species just passing through as they migrate north. A similar program is planned for 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, May 27. Info: (218) 699-7256 or by email at
.
Also on May 20, Lake Bemidji State Park is offering a
"Fantastic Frogs"
program from 8 to 10 a.m. Participants should dress for the weather, since part of the program will be outdoors. Info: Christa Drake, (218) 308-2300 or by email at
.
May 26-27 is
"Nature CSI" weekend at Turtle River State Park,
with an amphitheater program, "Bones and Bits," scheduled for Friday, May 26, and a "Nature Crime Scene" amphitheater program at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 27. For more information, contact the park at (701) 795-3180.
A
"Wellness in Nature Hike"
is planned for 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 27, at Lake Bemidji State Park. Hikers should meet in the west picnic area of the park, wear suitable shoes and bring water. Info: Christa Drake, (218) 308-2300 or by email at
.
If you've never visited the bog boardwalk at Big Bog State Recreation Area near Waskish, Minnesota, you should. A guided "Bog Discovery: What is a Bog?" hike is set for 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27. Participants should meet at the SRA on state Highway 72 just north of Waskish. Info: Christa Drake, (218) 308-2300 or by email at
.
Also on Memorial Day weekend, Lake Bemidji State Park is offering a
"Regal Eagles"
program from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, May 29, followed by a
"Bog Discovery: Ask a Naturalist"
program from 1 to 3 p.m. May 29. Info: Christa Drake, (218) 308-2300 or by email at
.
* Go fishing: Minnesota's walleye season doesn't open until May 13, but fishing for panfish is continuous, and Minnesota's stream trout season opened April 13 on inland streams across the state. Fishing season is year-round in North Dakota, and reliable reports indicate that a few walleyes are showing up on Channel A of Devils Lake.
* Take a hike: No matter where you live, chances are there's a good walking trail nearby. Get out and explore.
* Forage for fungi: It won't be long before morel mushrooms — Minnesota's state mushroom, who knew? — begin popping out of the ground. Forest edges and the bases of dead elm trees are good starting points. Minnesota is generally a better destination for morels, but a Grand Forks homeowner found a few morels on his front lawn last spring for the first time. Go figure.
