U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the Minnesota Waterfowl Association and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invite you to join them when they host the 18th Annual Minnesota Waterfowl Symposium, February 7, at the Mall of America Ramada, 2300 East American Boulevard, in Bloomington. The one-day conference is from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Waterfowl hunters, outdoor enthusiasts and natural resource managers are expected to attend the day-long public event to celebrate Minnesota’s waterfowl and wetland resources and discuss issues surrounding waterfowl and wetland habitat management in Minnesota. The Minnesota Waterfowl Symposium gives Minnesota’s waterfowl hunters and enthusiasts the opportunity to interact with waterfowl biologists and managers representing various conservation agencies and organizations, both state and federal.
Redheads are this year’s featured species. Redheads are a fairly common breeding species of diving duck that nests in the prairie portions of western and south central Minnesota. They nest almost exclusively over water in larger cattail marshes. Their population has been fairly stable over the past 20 years in Minnesota, but has increased continentally over the same time period. Redheads mainly winter along the Gulf coast in Texas, with smaller numbers wintering on the east coast. Typically about 20,000 redheads are harvested each fall in Minnesota, which often trails only Texas in annual redhead harvest.
This year’s event features a host of great speakers and presentations including opening remarks by Dave Scott, Migratory Birds and State Programs Assistant Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Paul Telander, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Section Chief. The agenda includes a Redhead “Ecology and Management in Minnesota” presentation by Steve Cordts; and Nicole Hansel-Welch, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will discuss shallow lake management and the role of Outdoor Heritage Funding in managing shallow lakes for waterfowl. Brian Watson, Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District will also discuss grass roots conservation; Doug Lodermeier, Minnesota Decoy Collectors Association, will give a presentation about antique decoy collecting; and Bruce Davis, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Dave Fronczak will speak about the importance of waterfowl banding. Todd Arnold, University of Minnesota, will also be on hand to discuss American coots; Greg Hoch, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will offer a presentation on implementation of the Minnesota Prairie Plan. The symposium will conclude with a panel discussion and question-and-answer session featuring Dave Zentner, representing the Concerned Duck Hunters Group, Tom Landwehr, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner, and Jim Kelly, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mississippi Flyway Representative.
Throughout the day, demonstration and information booths are available for those attending. They include the junior duck stamp display, a gunsmith booth where a gunsmith can answer your gun fitting and repair questions, cooking with wild game, other uses for wild game besides meat, and information about Minnesota Waterfowl Association and the DNR Shallow Lakes Program.
Attendees also have the opportunity to check out the Minnesota Decoy Collectors Association Annual Decoy Show hosted across the hall at the same location.
Following the symposium, the Minnesota Waterfowl Association holds its 6th annual Minnesota Waterfowl Hall of Fame Banquet where significant contributors to Minnesota’s waterfowl legacy are recognized. For more information about the symposium or to register for the Hall of Fame Banquet please call the Minnesota Waterfowl Association at 763-767-0320.
