2014 Annual Meeting The Minnesota Chapter of The...

2014 Annual Meeting

The Minnesota Chapter of The Wildlife Society

February 4 – 6, 2014 South Shore Conference Center, Bemidji, MN

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Conference Program Updated 1/29/2014

Cover art and other drawings used in the Conference Program courtesy of MNTWS member Ross Hier.

W elcome to the 2014 Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Chapter of the Wildlife Society. We are

excited to once again gather together to learn, communicate, network, and socialize, all in the name of

wildlife conservation. We have assembled a packed agenda over the next 3 days that will offer

something to students and professionals alike. We are particularly excited about the panel of experts

we have put together for the Plenary Session, “Moving Beyond Lead: Education vs. Regulation vs.

Reality.” Now, buckle up and have fun!

Steve Windels Chair, 2014 Planning Committee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONFERENCE SPONSORS .............................................................................................................................. 2

PLENARY SPONSORS ..................................................................................................................................... 2

CONFERENCE-AT-A-GLANCE ......................................................................................................................... 3

GENERAL PAPER SESSIONS – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 ................................................................................... 4

PLENARY SESSION - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 ........................................................................................... 6

Speaker Biographies ............................................................................................................................. 7

Plenary Abstracts .................................................................................................................................. 9

GENERAL PAPER SESSIONS – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6 .............................................................................. 12

CONFERENCE EVENTS ................................................................................................................................. 15

Student/Professional Mixer (Tues, Feb 4, 5:30pm-6:30pm) .............................................................. 15

Welcome Reception and Fundraiser (Tues, Feb 4, 6:30pm-9:00pm)................................................. 15

Craft Beer Tasting at the Bemidji Brewing Company (Tues, Feb 4, 9:00pm-11:00pm) ..................... 15

Banquet and Awards Ceremony (Wed, Feb 5, 7:00pm-10:00pm) ..................................................... 15

Workshop: Telemetry 101 - Tools and Techniques for Research (Thurs, Feb 6, 1:00pm-3:00pm) ... 15

Best Student Paper and Best Student Poster Awards ........................................................................ 16

Student Chapter Leaders Breakfast .................................................................................................... 16

Vendors .............................................................................................................................................. 16

BEMIDJI LODGING INFORMATION .............................................................................................................. 17

CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE ....................................................................................................... 18

CONFERENCE EVALUATION INFORMATION……………………………………………………………………………………………19

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CONFERENCE SPONSORS

Platinum Sponsors (>$500)

Department of Biology, Bemidji State University

Silver Sponsors (<$250)

Advanced Telemetry Systems (ATS)

PLENARY SPONSORS

Platinum Sponsors (>$500)

Jagareforbundet/Swedish Association of Hunting and Wildlife Management

Minnesota Chapter of The Wildlife Society

Gold Sponsors ($250-$500)

Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society

Minnesota Audubon

Minnesota Deer Hunters Association

Minnesota Division Isaak Walton League of America

Silver Sponsors (<$250)

Minnesota Waterfowl Association

Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society

TWS Wildlife Toxicology Working Group

University of Minnesota – The Raptor Center

Voyageurs National Park Association

Woodcock Minnesota

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CONFERENCE-AT-A-GLANCE Tuesday February 4, 2014

9:00am – 12:00pm MN TWS Board Meeting Exec. Boardroom

8:00am – 12:00pm MNDNR-USFWS Meeting Mississippi Room

10:00am – 5:00pm Registration

1:00pm Conference Begins

1:00pm – 5:00pm General Paper Sessions Mississippi/Sunken Is. Rooms

5:30pm – 6:30pm Student / Professional Mixer Mississippi Island Room

6:30pm – 9:00pm Welcome Reception and Fundraiser Mississippi Island Room

9:00pm – 11:00pm Craft Beer Tasting at Bemidji Brewing Company

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

7:00am – 12:00pm Registration

8:30am – 12:30pm Plenary Session: Moving Beyond Lead: Education vs. Regulation vs. Reality

Mississippi Island Room

12:30pm-1:30pm Lunch (on your own)

1:30pm– 4:00pm MN TWS Annual Business Meeting Mississippi Island Room

4:00pm – 5:30pm Student Quiz Bowl Mississippi Island Room

5:30pm – 7:00pm Pre-Banquet Mixer Mississippi Island Room

7:00pm – 10:00pm Banquet and Awards Ceremony Mississippi Island Room

Thursday, February 6, 2014

7:00am – 8:15am Student Chapter Leaders Breakfast Green Mill Restaurant

7:00am – 8:30am Registration

8:30am – 11:50am General Paper Sessions Mississippi/Sunken Is. Rooms

11:50am-12:00pm Student Paper & Poster Awards Presentation Mississippi/Sunken Is. Rooms

12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch (on your own)

1:00pm-3:00pm Workshop: Telemetry 101 Mississippi Room

3:00pm Meeting Adjourned

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GENERAL PAPER SESSIONS – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

Session 1: Conservation and

Management of Mammals

Moderator: Mark Clark

Room: Mississippi Room

1:00pm Space Use Behavior and Habitat Selection by American Marten in Minnesota Michael Joyce

1:20pm Species Diversity and

Population Dynamics of Small Mammals on Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota Lynda LaFond

1:40pm Forest Bat Inventory and Monitoring on the Superior National Forest David Grandmaison

2:00pm Habitat Use, Territory Size and

Predatory Role of Gray Wolves in Voyageurs National Park Brian Kot

2:20pm Seasonal Diet Composition of

Gray Wolves in Northeastern Minnesota Yvette Ibrahim

2:40-3:10pm Coffee Break

(Diamond Point Room)

Session 2: Science and Management

of the Effects of Lead Tackle and

Ammunition on Wildlife

Moderator: Doug Wells


3:10pm Demonstration of the Efficacy of Lead vs. Copper Ammunition at Hunter Workshops Sean Strom

3:30pm Small Game Hunters Intentions

to Support a Ban on Lead Shot in Minnesota’s Farmland Zone: How Beliefs Relate to Attitudes Sue Schroeder

3:50pm Prevalence of Lead Poisoning in Bald Eagles in the Upper Midwest Tim Yager

4:10pm Interpreting a Scientific Topic for an Internet Audience: An Example Using Secondary Lead Poisoning in Bald Eagles Maggie O’Connell

4:30pm Lead Fragmentation and

Deposition in Shotgun Slug Harvested White-tailed Deer Kay Neumann

4:50pm Lost and Discarded Fishing Tackle in Voyageurs National Park: Implications for Piscivorous Birds Jerry Warmbold

Abstracts for oral and poster presentations can be found at: http://www.mntws.org/mn/downloads/2014-MTWS-AM-Abstracts20140121.pdf

http://www.mntws.org/mn/downloads/2014-MTWS-AM-Abstracts20140121.pdf

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Session 3: Habitat Restoration and

Policy

Moderator: Stephen Winter

Room: Sunken Island Room

1:00pm Evaluating Effects of Invasive Cattail Management on Wetland Vegetation, Amphibians, and Birds in Northwestern Minnesota: An Adaptive Approach Vanessa Lane and Emily Hutchins

[40 minute talk] 1:40pm Assessing the Value of

Sediment Removal in Wetland Restoration Shawn Papon

2:00pm Large Scale Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Projects on the Upper Mississippi River Sharonne Baylor

2:20pm Time-lapse Photography: A

New Way to Document and Promote Wetland Restoration and Management in Minnesota Emily Hutchins

2:40-3:10pm Coffee Break


Moderator: Gerry Shimek

3:10pm Grazing as a Resource Tool: Lessons Learned in the Oxcart Unit of Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, in northwestern Minnesota Laurie Fairchild

3:30pm A Comparison of Methods for

Surveying Vegetation Diversity in Restored Prairies Greg Hoch

3:50pm Assessing Wetland Quantity

Changes for Minnesota from 2006 to 2011 Doug Norris

4:10pm Update on Minnesota’s Sulfate Standard Revision for Wild Rice Waters Ann Geisen

4:30pm Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program Jessica Lee

4:50pm Deer Hunter Attitudes towards Regulatory Change Using Self-Selected Respondents Lou Cornicelli



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PLENARY SESSION - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

MOVING BEYOND LEAD: EDUCATION VS. REGULATION VS. REALITY

Mississippi Island Room

8:30am Welcome Remarks. Brian Hiller

8:40am Moving Beyond Lead Fishing Tackle: Challenges and Opportunities. Paul Radomski 9:00am Bullets and Bald Eagles: Developing a Model for Dealing with Conflicts in

Ecosystem Health. Pat Redig

9:20am Reframing the Lead Discussion: Can We Make Meaningful Progress?

John Schulz 10:00am REFRESHMENT BREAK - Diamond Point Room 10:30am Bullet Fragmentation and Big Game Hunting.

Lou Cornicelli 10:50am Not So Fast, Everybody.

Ryan Bronson 11:10am European Perspectives on the Use of Lead and Non-lead Ammunition.

Fredrik Widemo 11:50am Panel Discussion

Ryan Bronson, Lou Cornicelli, Mark Johnson, Paul Radomski , Pat Redig, John Schulz, Sean Strom, Fredrik Widemo, Tim Yager

12:30pm Adjourn SPEAKER INFORMATION AND PLENARY SPONSORS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGES 7-8.

ABSTRACTS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGES 18-20.

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Speaker Biographies

MOVING BEYOND LEAD: EDUCATION VS.

REGULATION VS. REALITY Paul J. Radomski is a scientist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. For over 25 years he has worked on fisheries and shoreland development management issues and has published on a range of ecological and

conservation matters. Paul currently serves as Minnesota’s lead scientific expert on lakeshore habitat management issues.

Pat Redig is the founder and former Director of

the Raptor Center. He

is currently a professor

of avian medicine and

surgery in the

Department of

Veterinary Clinical

Sciences at the

University of

Minnesota. He has interests in all aspects of

clinical medicine in avian species, conservation

and public education about raptors, and

ecology of viral diseases of birds.

John H. Schulz is a part-

time Research Associate

at the University of

Missouri, and an active

member of The Wildlife

Society. John recently

worked for a nonprofit group after working 27-

years with the Missouri Department of

Conservation as a Research Scientist. He’s

worked on a variety of management related

topics including migratory shore and upland

game birds, wildlife impacts of lead poisoning,

and the integration of science, policy and

politics.

Lou Cornicelli is the

Wildlife Research

Manager for

MNDNR. Prior to that,

he spent nearly 10 years

with DNR as their big

game program

coordinator. While that

position left him

emotionally damaged, it allowed him to work

with Marrett Grund on the bullet fragmentation

project. Prior to coming to MN, Lou was a

regional wildlife manager in Utah and deer

research biologist in Indiana. Lou has a BS from

Cornell University, MS from S. Illinois University

and PhD from the University of Minnesota.

Ryan Bronson is a

graduate of Bemidji

State University with a

degree in biology, a

member of the Board of

Directors of the Mule

Deer Foundation, past

member of the Lessard

Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, former

Minnesota DNR Wildlife employee, and

currently works on conservation policy for a

Minnesota based ammunition, firearms and

shooting sports accessory company. He is

representing the National Shooting Sports

Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the

firearms and ammunition industry.

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Fredrik Widemo got his

PhD in Animal Ecology

from Uppsala University

in 1995. From 1995 -

2008, he worked for the

Norwegian University of

Science & Technology,

Uppsala University, and

the Swedish Biodiversity Centre. In 2008, he

was hired as conservation manager for the

Swedish Association of Hunting and Wildlife

Management. Today, Fredrik is Director of

Science at the Swedish Association of Hunting

and Wildlife Management, as well as being

affiliated with the Swedish University of

Agricultural Sciences as an external researcher.

Brian Hiller spent 10

years investigating the

presence and effects of

organic contaminants and

heavy metals in American

woodcock in

Connecticut. He is an

Assistant Professor in the

Biology Department specializing in wildlife

management at Bemidji State University. He is

the current Chair of The Wildlife Society Wildlife

Toxicology Working Group. He is also the

Faculty advisor for the BSU Student Chapter of

TWS.

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Plenary Abstracts

Moving Beyond Lead Fishing Tackle: Challenges and Opportunities

Paul J. Radomski, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Brainerd, MN, 56401.

[email protected].

Lead is a serious poison. Yet despite this fact, there seems to be a very limited public understanding on the link between lead use in fishing tackle and the environmental and human health consequences. I’ll begin by outlining the challenges with the loss, use, and manufacturing of lead fishing tackle. Large economic barriers exist for lead substitution in the fishing tackle industry. I’ll end with a review of the opportunities that exist to reduce lead fishing tackle use in Minnesota.

Bullets and Bald Eagles: Developing a Model for Dealing with Conflicts in Ecosystem Health Patrick T. Redig and Irene Bueno, Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108. [email protected]. The phenomenon of lead poisoning of bald eagles by spent ammunition has scientific backing and the mechanics are relatively well-understood. In essence, the annual introduction of lead in the form of spent ammunition contained in residual components of deer carcasses, as well as other unretrieved animals killed with lead ammunition, results in scavenging, intoxication, and in many cases, death of dozens if not hundreds of eagles. Whether this mortality constitutes a level of risk to the eagle population that requires redress and whether the information is sufficiently acknowledged by the users of lead ammunition to effect a change in practices is unknown. Regardless, it is increasingly accepted that this situation is not in keeping with conservation ethic espoused by the majority of the hunting community. There has not been political will to consider enactment of a regulatory solution. Further, regulation has been soundly rejected by the user community as well as many of those who seek a remedy. Herein we report on a multi-lateral approach to engage the community of stakeholders in this matter and through a process of providing credible information in an open-ended format, an environment is created that makes it possible for independent decision making. Presently, it appears, that after 30 some years of generating public awareness, there is an open dialogue with possible impact. To wit, for the first time in as many years, TRC admitted only one lead poisoned eagle related to the 2013 deer season. How do we now capitalize on this?

Reframing the Lead Discussion: Can We Make Meaningful Progress?

Schulz, John H. University of Missouri (part-time), Columbia, MO 65202, [email protected].

Although lead (Pb) has been known as a toxin for >2,000 years, it continues to be a polarizing challenge for the wildlife profession. Stakeholders on both sides have cited “science” in support of their viewpoints. Additional research, however, documenting the problem will not improve the discussion or bring about meaningful change. Instead, the discussion must be reframed and refocused. Points of agreement and disagreement must be articulated in an attempt to find common ground; these elements

mailto:[email protected]



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can provide clues to the ultimate problems and potential solutions. Although multiple stakeholder groups have developed position statements on Pb poisoning, the problem continues with little measurable progress due to a lack of meaningful dialog. This presentation attempts to define the complexity of wildlife Pb poisoning by outlining six inter-related subproblems (i.e., ground venison, condors, eagles, mourning doves, loon/swans, and shooting ranges), and suggests that defining and agreeing on the problem is a critical first step. Once the problem is defined and bounded, a range of potential options to reduce exposure or solve the problem can be discussed in a more rational and civil fashion; e.g., non-regulatory communication/information outreach programs, or voluntary non-Pb ammunition incentive programs. Potential solutions must consider concepts of inclusion, deliberation and dialog, and the sources and distribution of political power. Given the current political landscape, a well-organized national voluntary program based on information and communication, and implemented at the local and state level has a reasonable chance of success.

Bullet Fragmentation and Big Game Hunting

Lou Cornicelli and Marrett Grund, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, MN, 55155.

[email protected].

The discovery of lead in venison had implications for public-funded venison donation programs and prompted several Midwest states to examine their programs. More broadly, the issue of bullet fragmentation and lead deposition has prompted states to examine bullets of different design and performance characteristics. We analyzed fragmentation patterns and lead deposition in carcasses of 72 domestic sheep as surrogate to white-tailed deer. Five different bullet types were fired from centerfire rifles; we also fired projectiles from a shotgun and blackpowder muzzleloader. Centerfire bullets designed to expand quickly upon impacting the animal had bullet fragments and lead deposited throughout the abdominal cavity of carcasses. We also used 2 types of centerfire bullets that were purportedly designed to resist fragmentation. One of these bullet types had fragmentation patterns and lead deposition rates similar to the rapid expanding bullets, the other bullet type resisted fragmentation and no lead was detected in muscle tissue that we sampled. We determined that a centerfire bullet made from copper resisted fragmentation, and of course did not deposit any lead in muscle tissues. Projectiles fired from the shotgun and blackpowder muzzleloader deposited lead into carcasses but did not fragment as much as centerfire rifle bullets. Our study also suggests that rinsing the abdominal cavity may spread lead to other areas of the carcass thereby increasing contamination. We frame conclusions based on our interpretation of limited data but suggest hunters who use centerfire rifles and are concerned about lead deposition should purchase those bullet types that resist fragmentation.

Not So Fast Everybody

Ryan Bronson, National Shooting Sports Foundation, [email protected].

Ammunition manufacturers are limited by the Periodic Table, the ATF and state wildlife agencies. Traditional ammunition utilizes Pb for its’ unique and optimal properties, both physical and economic. Anti-Pb activists usually over-sell the attributes of copper-alloy bullets, and usually under-report the detriments. With no evidence of population impacts to any wildlife species in the Midwest from incidental exposure to Pb from ammunition, there is no justification for regulations restricting



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traditional ammunition. Additionally, anti-Pb activists are prone to whisper concerns about human health impacts from traditional ammunition with no scientific evidence to support that, and risk further alienating hunters who have hundreds of years’ experience with game meat that counter these specious claims. Health departments have reviewed game meat policies, and continue to accept hunter donated meat into publicly regulated programs. California’s lead ammunition ban legislation AB711 was sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), an organization committed to ending hunting in the United States, so while many people campaigning for ammunition restrictions are pro-hunting they are aligned with anti-hunting forces on this issue. The ammunition industry does not oppose alternative ammunition. The industry supports individual’s right to choose it for their own use, for whatever characteristics they value. In fact the NSSF has led efforts to get copper alloy bullets approved by the ATF as these bullets often fall under “armor piercing” definitions in federal law. Lack of movement on this issue has stymied development of new non-lead projectiles.

European Perspectives on the use of Lead and Non-lead Ammunition

Fredrik Widemo, Swedish Association of Hunting and Wildlife Management, Nykoping, Sweden.

[email protected].

Previously, poisoning of waterfowl from ingesting lead shot was considered the main environmental

issue from lead ammunition in Europe. Lately, focus has shifted to secondary poisoning of raptors and

then to contamination of game meat from lead ammunition. Today, the use of lead in ammunition is

under scrutiny both at national levels and by the European Union. Currently, only a few countries have a

total ban on the use of lead shot. All European countries are, however, expected to have banned lead

shot in wetlands under the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement. So far, all countries have not ratified

the agreement and compliance is in several cases low. As a result, the European Union is considering

several options aimed at reducing the use of lead shot, including a total ban. In general, Central

European hunters want to minimise escape distances, whereas Scandinavian hunters want to minimise

loss of game meat. Thus, hunters in different countries use different types of lead bullets. Non-lead

bullets are only used by a couple of percent of the hunters, except in Finland where 20-30 % of all

moose are shot using copper bullets. Authorities and NGOs in Germany, Norway and Sweden are

currently investigating blood lead levels in relation game meat consumption. Practices adapted for

minimising the risk of contaminating game meat are being developed, at the same time as the efficiency

of non-lead bullets is being investigated. Preliminary results will be presented.


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GENERAL PAPER SESSIONS – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Session 5: Conservation and

Management of Birds

Moderator: Ross Hier


8:30am Breeding Bird Trends in Minnesota National Forests - 1995-2013 Jerry Niemi

8:50am Impacts of Twin Cities

Metropolitan Area Development on Local Breeding Bird Distributions Mike North

9:10am What do we know about Golden-winged Warblers in Minnesota? Gunnar Kramer

9:30am Detectable Zones of Simulated

Grassland Birds: Implications for Bird Surveys Elizabeth Rigby

9:50am Marbled Godwit Migration Characterized with Satellite Telemetry Bridget Olson

10:10-10:30am Coffee Break


Moderator: Tom Cooper

10:30am Implications of Spring Water Levels on the Production of American White Pelicans Nesting at Marsh Lake, Minnesota Mark Clark

10:50am Breeding Waterfowl Habitat

Use in the Great Lakes Region Hannah Spect

11:10am Field Foraging by a

Reintroduced Population of Trumpeter Swans During the Breeding Season in Northwest Minnesota Christine Herwig

11:30am Waterbird Mortality Surveys on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge: Monitoring the Impact of Trematodiasis Stephen Winter

11:50am Announcement of Winners for Best Student Paper and Poster



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Session 6: Ecology and

Management of Moose

Moderator: William “Bill” Faber

Room: Sunken Island Room

8:30am Influence of Temperature on Summer Bed Site Selection by Moose Nick McCann

8:50am Temperature-induced Changes

in Plant Secondary Metabolite Production and Diet Composition in Moose John Berini

9:10am Estimating Moose Use of Canopy Closure During Foraging and Bedding Using LIDAR Rachel Ward

9:30am Moose Visitation Rrates and

Space Use of Key Habitats in Northern Minnesota Amanda McGraw

9:50am Effect of Sampling Interval on Estimates of Habitat Use by Moose in Northeastern Minnesota Michael Joyce

10:10-10:30am Coffee Break


Moderator: Kari Kirschbaum

10:30am Cause-Specific Mortality of Moose Calves in Northeastern Minnesota: Results From the First Summer Bill Severud

10:50am The Habitat of Winter Ticks in

the Moose Range of Northeast Minnesota Juliann Terry

11:10am Patterns in White-tailed Deer

Density and Parasite Prevalence in Voyageurs National Park: Implications for Disease Transmission to Moose Kim VanderWaal

11:30am TBD James Forester 11:50am Announcement of Winners for

Best Student Paper and Poster (IN ROOM TBD)

___________________________________________________________________



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GENERAL POSTER SESSION

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Room: Diamond Point Room

Poster 1 The Impact of Burning on Small Mammal Communities on Restored Prairie Brian Bickel et al.

Poster 2 The Superior National Forest’s Canada lynx DNA Database Tim Catton et al.

Poster 3 Risk of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis in Moose in Northern Minnesota Based on Spatial and

Temporal Abundance of Gastropod Intermediate Hosts Tim Cyr et al.

Poster 4 Phosphorus Phytoremediation using Fern, Duckweed, Water Dock, and Cattail Species in

Constructed Floating Mats Jennifer Dubay et al.

Poster 5 Movements of Painted Turtles between Three Sloughs in Clay County, Minnesota

Anna Kooren et al. Poster 6 Identification of Peromyscus in Minnesota: A Comparison of Body Measurements and

Molecular Analysis of Salivary Amylase Shannon Leipus et al.

Poster 7 Continuing Population Control of Urban Canada Geese in Moorhead, Minnesota Jamie Naasz et al.

Poster 8 Lead Poisoning in Iowa Bald Eagles

Kay Neumann

Poster 9 Update on Purple Martin Migration and Roost Use Mike North et al.

Poster 10 Survival Rates of Purple Martins Fledged Near Willmar, Minnesota Mike North et al.

Poster 11 Birds of the Beltrami Island Area Mike North et al.

Poster 12 A Long-term Dataset from a Furbearer Harvest Program on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Brian Stemper et al.

Poster 13 Introducing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles into Wildlife and Habitat Management Michael Vogt



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CONFERENCE EVENTS All events at South Shore Conference Center unless specified otherwise

Student/Professional Mixer (Tues, Feb 4, 5:30pm-6:30pm) – Mississippi Island Room

This is an excellent opportunity for students to meet and interact with wildlife professionals. Our goal is

to keep this event casual and fun. Those who participated last year had a great time.

Welcome Reception and Fundraiser (Tues, Feb 4, 6:30pm-9:00pm) - Mississippi Island Room

Join us at the Welcome Reception to catch up with old friends or make new ones. An appetizer bar

(fruit tray, meat and cheese tray, hot wings, meatballs, etc.) is available for $15; tickets must be

purchased at the time of registration. A silent auction and raffles will offer chances to bid on or win

wildlife art, homemade crafts, hunting and fishing gear, and other great items. A cash bar is provided.

Craft Beer Tasting at the Bemidji Brewing Company (Tues, Feb 4, 9:00pm-11:00pm)

The Bemidji Brewing Company, almost the northernmost brewer in the state, is a new craft brewery

started in Bemidji in 2012. Their taproom will be open for a few hours Tues. night for conference

participants to buy pints or flights of beers if you want to sample more than one or two. A $5 signup fee

is required to hold your spot as this event is capped at 50 participants. Chips and snacks will be

provided but participants are responsible for purchasing their own beers at the event. Check out their

webpage at www.bemidjibeer.com for more information about Bemidji Brewing Company.

Banquet and Awards Ceremony (Wed, Feb 5, 7:00pm-10:00pm)- Mississippi Island Room

The Green Mill Restaurant and Catering will be providing our meal during the banquet. They are

offering a buffet-style meal with a choice of chicken, pork loin, and vegetarian pastas, side dishes, and

dessert and coffee. Meal tickets are $25 and must be purchased at the time of registration. Special

dietary requests can be accommodated. A cash bar is provided.

Our annual meeting is a chance to celebrate accomplishments in wildlife conservation throughout the

past year. The main part of the program during the banquet will be the presentation of chapter awards,

including the Minnesota Award, the Conservation Award, the Law Enforcement Award, the Janet Boe

Memorial Award, the Bob Fedeler Award, and the Student Conservationist Award.

Workshop: Telemetry 101 - Tools and Techniques for Wildlife Research and Monitoring

(Thurs, Feb 6, 1:00pm-3:00pm) - Mississippi Room

Representatives from Advanced Telemetry Systems (Isanti, MN) are sponsoring a telemetry workshop.

This workshop will include 1 hour of lecture and discussion, 30 minutes of “hands-on” exercises, and 30

minutes of Q&A. This workshop is geared to students and professionals who want to better understand

the basics of telemetry or keep abreast of “what’s new” in the world of telemetry and wildlife

monitoring.

This workshop is open to any conference registrants as part of the registration fee.

http://www.bemidjibeer.com/

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Best Student Paper and Best Student Poster Awards

Papers and posters submitted by current students will be entered in a contest for best paper and best

poster. Winners will be announced before the lunch break on Thurs, Feb 6.

Student Chapter Leaders Breakfast

MNTWS is hosting a breakfast from 7a-8a, Thursday, Feb 6 at the Green Mill for student chapter leaders

and faculty advisors to meet with members of the Chapter board. Up to 3 representatives from each

student chapter can attend. Meal costs for student chapter leaders and advisors will be covered by

MNTWS. Any current MNTWS Board member can attend. Please RSVP to [email protected] by

January 31, 2014 so we can reserve tables.

Vendors – Diamond Point Room

The following vendors will have display booths in the room where coffee breaks are served from

12:00pm on Feb 4 – 12:00pm on Feb 6.

Advanced Telemetry Systems (www.atstrack.com )

Vectronic Aerospace (www.vectronic-wildlife.com)


http://www.atstrack.com/

http://www.vectronic-wildlife.com/

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BEMIDJI LODGING INFORMATION

1. Hampton Inn and Suites

1019 Paul Bunyan Drive South, Bemidji, Minnesota, 56601. TEL: 1-218-751-3600; FAX: 1-218-751-3601.

2. AmericInn Lodges and Suites Bemidji

1200 Paul Bunyan Drive NW, Bemidji, MN 56601. Toll Free Reservations: 800- 634-3444; Front Desk 218-

751-3000.

3. Holiday Inn Express Bemidji

2422 Ridgeway Avenue, NW, Bemidji, Minnesota, 56601 Toll Free Reservations: 1 888 465 4329 4. Best Western Bemidji Inn

2420 Paul Bunyan Drive NW, Bemidji, Minnesota, 56601. Phone: 218-751-0390, Fax: 218-751-2887

5. Super 8 Bemidji

1815 Paul Bunyan Dr NW, 1/4 mile E Jct 71 & 197, Bemidji, MN 56601. National Toll Free: 800-800-8000;

Local: 218-751-8481.

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CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE Chair: Steve Windels

Plenary Session: Steve Windels, Brian Hiller, Lou Cornicelli, Bill Faber, Thom Soule, Stephen

Winter, Tom Cooper

Conference Program: Steve Windels, Mike Larson, Jeff Lawrence

Registration and Treasurer: Charlotte Roy, Maria Fosado

Fundraiser: Norm Moody, Ann Geisen, Dawn Plattner

Student/Professional Mixer: Jim Berdeen, Mark Hanson, Ann Geisen, Jessica VanDuyn

Awards and Awards Program: Thom Soule

Student Paper/Poster Awards: Emily Hutchins

Student Quiz Bowl: John Loegering

Webmaster: John Loegering

Audio/Visual Support: John Loegering, University of Minnesota – Crookston Student Chapter

Special thanks to all the MNTWS Student Chapter volunteers for your invaluable help with

registration, the fundraiser, and other tasks!

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HOW WAS THE CONFERENCE? Fill out the online survey at

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/52GDH2P.

OR

look for the link on the Annual Meeting page at www.mntws.org/mn.

__________________________________________________________

The 2015 MNTWS

Annual Meeting

will be held jointly

with the Wisconsin

Chapter of The

Wildlife Society in

Feb-March 2015,

somewhere along

the Minnesota-

Wisconsin border. Stay tuned!

Visit www.mntws.org/mn for more information about the Minnesota

Chapter of The Wildlife Society.

Visit www.wildlife.org for more information about our parent society,

The Wildlife Society.

Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mntws.

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