The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is conducting a research project to better study the moose populations in our region. They are placing collars on 25 bull moose and 75 cows that will transmit information to the researchers such as: location, outside temperature, body temperature and possibly even the heart rate. This project will be the largest effort to research moose in Northern Minnesota to date.
The tracking devices will allow a dead moose to be located within 24 hours in order to help determine an accurate cause of death. It will also allow calves to be located easily since their momma will be wearing a collar—and we all know how the calves shadow their mothers for a couple of years.
Tagging crews battled bone chilling temperatures of negative 30 degrees on the week they launched the project. Wind chills were reaching negative 50, making it hard to get the job done. Once temperatures subsided and the helicopter was employed the crew managed to tag a total of 31 moose with another 69 to go. They were able to collar as many as six moose a day with the use of the helicopter and tranquilizer guns.
Two Harbors, Grand Marais, and Ely are the targeted areas for the research project and they expect to have collars on all 100 moose by mid-February.
I have been watching for the chopper to fly over our house for the past week but I have no such luck. I thought I could hear a chopper one day, but it could have been some distant snowmobiles for all I know. If you would like some more information about the moose research in Minnesota you can visit: www.mndnr.gov/moose.
The snowstorms keep missing our neck of the woods but some people are still enjoying the little snow that we have. I see more Nordic skiers around the trail heads lately than I do snowmobiles, but for the most part it is too darn quiet up here. Half of this winter’s season is over and I am not even sure it has begun. Sledheads follow the snow and too many other places are sporting more of it than us.
I decided not to go ice fishing this week since the temperatures were too miserable for me to be sitting on a lake. It was a great week to stay home and relax with the kids in a warm house. The next few days I will be guiding for lake trout and the weather forecast looks good. Daytime highs are supposed to be in the mid-20s, which will feel like a tropical heat wave compared to minus 33. With a little luck this warm front will turn the fish on.
I have caught more walleyes this winter than I have lake trout (which is not saying much) so it would be nice to get into some active trout for a change. Let you know next week.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218-388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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