DNR's Scott Laudenslager updates County Board on deer population

Scott Laudenslager from the Baudette Office of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources updated the Lake of the Woods County Board of Commissioners on the DNR's projections for the coming deer season. "In Areas 105, 111 and 114 the total harvest was down about 500 animals."

"What's the ideal harvest?" asked Board Chair Ed Arnesen.

"Fifteen deer per square mile unless I get crop complaints," responded Laudenslager. "This is a rule of thumb; we don't just go with the computer model. But we're not done with winter and we could get another snowfall which could affect the population. We find that when the buck harvest goes up, the overall population is up, and the buck harvest in area 105, which is the area north of Highway 11, has been trending upward."

Laudenslager went on to explain the types of hunting allowed in areas as Intensive where hunters can take three deer with two does and one buck; Managed where they're allowed two deer, a doe, and a buck; and Choice where hunters can take a buck or a doe.

"In area 111, south of Highway 11 the population in the forest is still suffering," Laudenslager said. "Probably because we had to aggressively cull the herd a few years back due to Bovine TB. So Area 111 will probably be bucks only."

Discussion followed on the excess killing of the deer herd due to timber wolf packs with County Engineer A.J. Pirkl asking why wolves were allowed to run free. "In Minnesota, wolves are considered threatened," responded Laudenslager.

When asked about license sales Laudenslager said that deer licenses have been "doing well," but waterfowl and small game licenses have been down. There have also been five bear depredation permits issued and filled.

In other county-related business the board:

• Authorized a grade increase from 11 to 12 for county heavy equipment operators. County Engineer A.J. Pirkl told the board that the pay increase is justified due to the increased difficulty in potential operators obtaining their C.D.L. Grade increases were also authorized for county landfill Heavy Equipment Operators, and a grade increase from 10 to 11 was authorized for the Public Works Department's Deputy Accountant.

Pirkl then told the board about a needed bridge replacement on County Road #69 by McCloud's farm. "The cost will be $628,133.20 of which $502,506.56 will be from federal funds and $116,288.68 from State Bridge Funds. This leaves the county portion at $9,337.96. We get a brand new bridge for less than a $10,000 expenditure." The board unanimously approved the expenditure for a new bridge on C.R. 69.

Lastly, the board approved a $4,000 expenditure for 3rd party PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoralkyl) testing and analysis of 40 wells around the county.

• Authorized the purchase of file folders for the Land and Water Planning department.

• Paid the Social Services Claims as presented by Social Services Director Amy Ballard who told the board that the claims included one county-paid burial.

• Paid the Auditor/Treasurer's Claims as presented by County Auditor/Treasurer Lorene Hanson. Putting off observation of the Juneteenth State Holiday until 2024 was unanimously agreed upon as the state law doesn't go into effect until August first, 2023. The commissioners also agreed to donate $200 for the Post Prom Party at the school and renewed the contract with the Dispatcher's Union.

• Agreed to sign a resolution in support of Keeping the Indus School Open as presented by Amy Hasbargen-Hanson. Hanson, along with her infant daughter Ivy, local residents Vern and Nylena Nielson, and Birchdale resident Christine Hultman told the board more about the efforts being done to keep the school open. The resolution presented at this meeting differed from the one Hanson brought before the board on March 14th by replacing the word "condemn” with phrasing in favor of keeping the school open.

• Signed a Joint Powers Agreement with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to allow County Sheriff Gary Fish continued access to the BCA databases.

• Got a legislative update from Board Chair Arnesen. Arnesen said that he'd been down to St. Paul to testify about Lake of the Woods County needing a new Jail. He also met with State Representative Grossell and State Senator Greene and said that it "looks positive" that state funding will be made available for the removal of the dilapidated Williams School, as well as funding for the Northwest Angle. County Auditor Hanson said that these items would be added to the agenda for the next meeting.

There being no further business to discuss Board Chair Arnesen recessed the meeting at 11 a.m.