Minnesota BHA was recognized as BHA’s Chapter of the Month for November 2015 and has built on that momentum going into 2016. We started the year by submitting comments on the Department of Natural Resources’ draft strategic management plan for elk in Minnesota (2016-2020). Erik Jensen, Mark Norquist and Spencer Shaver tabled at the sportsmen’s show in St. Paul for Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters. More than 500 sportsmen and women signed a petition to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from proposed sulfide mining!
Filmmaker Mark Norquist worked with Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters to create the film series “Fish out Of Water,” which won the Spirit of Film award at the Frozen Film Festival. “We are proud that the film was recognized by the Frozen Film Festival,” Mark said. “We hope the film will help raise awareness of the risky sulfide-ore copper mines proposed near the edge of this beautiful wilderness.” Mark also produced “Flush in the Wild,” a video about a veteran’s hunting foray into the Boundary Waters. The chapter sent a letter to Gov. Mark Dayton thanking him for opposing the Twin Metals sulfide mine on the Boundary Waters periphery. Will Jenkins wrote an op-ed, “Why You Should Care About Minnesota’s Boundary Waters.”
Erik Jensen, Mark Norquist and Brent Rivard are teaching/mentoring new hunters as part of the Minnesota DNR’s adult Learn-to-Hunt Whitetail Deer program. In addition, the chapter sent a letter to DNR Commissioner Landwehr requesting clarification on the DNR’s stance regarding drones. The 4th Annual MN BHA Chapter Rendezvous will be held Aug. 19-21 at Wild River State Park on the St. Croix River north of Minneapolis-St. Paul near Center City.
–David Lien