Tag Day for duck blinds on Mississippi River Pools 13 & 14

New Refuge Regulations In Effect

The traditional Tag Day for marking duck blinds on the Savanna District of Upper Miss Refuge on the Illinois side of Mississippi River Pools 13 and 14 will be held Saturday, August 4th. The following Refuge regulations apply to Tag Day and the construction of permanent blinds. Prior to 8:00AM on Tag Day, markers cannot be placed on the Refuge, blinds cannot be constructed, nor can hunters be present at the immediate blind site. Beginning at 8:00AM on August 4, blind sites are available on a first-come basis. A waterproof identification marker

must be placed at the blind site that identifies the builder's name, address and telephone number.

Blinds should measure a minimum of 4 feet by 8 feet and only biodegradable materials can be used in construction. Blinds must be completely built and camouflaged by September 1 or the blind site marker and all remaining blind materials must be removed. Blinds may still be constructed after September 1, however, blind site markers and left-over materials cannot be left in place after this date. A 200 distance yard is required between blinds. The clearing of any vegetation within 50 yards radius of a blind site is prohibited. Willow, cattail, bulrush, lotus and arrowhead may be cut from Refuge lands for blind camouflage. You cannot bring onto the Refuge (or cut from the Refuge) any non-native plants, including phragmites (giant reed grass), for use as camouflage.

The use of permanent blinds is being phased-out on Savanna District. Permanent blinds in Pool 12 were eliminated in 2006 and are not allowed this year. Pool 14 blinds will be phased out after this coming hunting season (2007). Pool 13 blinds will be phased-out after next years hunting season (2008).

During the phase-out year, permanent blinds are allowed and all blinds (Illinois and Iowa) must be registered by placing a waterproof identification card inside the blind identifying the hunter's name, address, and telephone number. If blinds are not registered with this information prior to the opening day of the waterfowl hunt season within each respective state, the blind may be removed by Refuge staff. It is illegal to hunt from a permanent blind that is not registered with identification.

During the phase-out year, all permanent blind materials, including materials located within a 100 yard radius of the blind, must be removed from the Refuge within 30 days after the close of the waterfowl hunting season. If you build a permanent blind in Pool 14 this coming hunting season, you will be required to remove all materials within 30 days after close of the season. The cutting of wooden support poles or any other blind materials (including boat hide) at the water line is not allowed, you must remove all materials from the site to prevent a boating hazard. A Notice of Violation will be issued to the registered blind holder if all permanent blind (and boat hide) materials located within a 100 yard radius of the blind are not removed from the Refuge within 30 days after the close of the waterfowl hunting season during the phase-out year. In addition, you will still have to remove all materials.

After phase-out of permanent blinds within each area, methods of waterfowl hunting in that area will be in accordance with State and Refuge regulations. The following Refuge regulations will apply. At the end of each day's hunt, you must remove all manmade blind materials you brought onto the Refuge. You are allowed to leave only seasonal blinds, made entirely of natural vegetation measuring less than 2 inches cumulative stem diameter, and biodegradable twines. All such blinds are considered public property and are open for use by any person on a first-come basis.

You are allowed to gather only willow, grasses, marsh vegetation, and dead wood on the ground from the Refuge for blind-building materials. These blind building materials cannot exceed a 2 inch cumulative stem diameter. Cutting or removing any other vegetation from the Refuge is prohibited. Constructing hunting blinds from rocks placed for shoreline protection is prohibited. You may not place or leave decoys on the Refuge during the time from ? hour after the close of legal shooting hours, until 1 hour before the start of legal shooting hours. Hunting methods may include the use of boat blinds, scull boats, portable blinds, shoreline hunting and jump shooting. You may not leave any personal property that is related to hunting, including boat blinds, on the Refuge overnight. Within the Illinois portion of Savanna District (Pools 12, 13 & 14), hunting parties must maintain a 200 yard distance between each group. For additional information, contact the Refuge office, 815-273-2732.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 542 national wildlife refuges.

Amended hunting and fishing regulations proposed for Upper Mississippi Refuge

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a proposed rule in the Federal Register to implement hunting and fishing programs that were approved in the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

A 30-day public comment period on the new regulations began July 1 and comments must be received by July 30, 2007. The new rules are scheduled to take effect for the 2007-2008 hunting season.

Refuge Manager Don Hultman said the biggest change in the new rules is a modification of the system of Waterfowl Hunting Closed Areas that has been in effect since 1958 on the 240,000-acre, 261-mile-long refuge on the Mississippi River floodplain in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois.

Hultman said the closed areas will provide strategic resting and feeding areas for waterfowl during their migration along the Mississippi Flyway, and also enhance hunting opportunities by ensuring that ducks and geese remain on the refuge longer.

"The closed areas are like stepping stones for the birds as they make their way south," said Hultman. "The new system takes into account decades of survey work that has shown an unequal distribution of waterfowl in the 12 river pools. Having all the ducks in a few pools is not ideal for the birds, nor ideal for waterfowl hunters."

The new closed areas also include a provision asking the public to voluntarily avoid the areas from October 15 through the end of the duck season to help minimize disturbance to waterfowl. Small closed areas, those less than 1,000 acres, will also have a restriction on motor use during the same period. The new closed areas include a portion of Beaver Island near Camanche IA in Pool 14 and Kehough Slough near Galena IL in Pool 12.

When all changes in the CCP are implemented in 2009, Hultman said the refuge will have 24 closed areas totaling 43,683 acres, compared with the current 15 areas totaling 44,544 acres.

The proposed rule also phases out the use of permanent waterfowl hunting blinds on the Savanna District, Pools 12, 13 & 14. Permanent blinds will no longer be allowed in Pool 12 beginning with the 2007-2008 waterfowl hunting season; Pool 14 after the 2007-2008 season; and Pool 13 after the 2008-2009 season.

Hultman said the proposed rule also fine-tunes language in current refuge regulations for clarity and ease of enforcement, and includes other modest changes to modernize regulations and make them consistent with sound fish and wildlife management. Changes include a requirement for nontoxic shot for turkey hunting, and clarifying existing rules for temporary blinds, use of dogs, hunting equipment, camping, campfires, and vehicle use.

Refuge fishing regulations remain virtually unchanged except to reference restrictions or voluntary avoidance in closed areas during the waterfowl season.

The entire proposed rule, along with fact sheets and links to maps and the CCP, is available at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/UpperMississippiRiver/, or you may call (507) 452-4232 and request a copy.

Comments on the proposed rule must be received by July 30, 2007, and can be made via e-mail to: uppermississippiriver@fws.gov. Please include "Attn: Hunting/Fishing Regs" and your full name and mailing address in your e-mail message.

Comments may also be sent by mail to: Refuge Manager, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, 51 East Fourth Street, Room 101, Winona, MN, 55987.

The refuge CCP was approved in October 2006 following four years of effort, including 46 public meetings or workshops attended by 4,500 people. Another proposed rule on general recreation CCP actions, such as electric motor only areas, will be prepared in the coming months. These new rules will also be released for public comment and implemented sometime in 2008.

Potters Marsh Blind Drawing Is July 28

The Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that the Potter's Marsh (Mississippi River Pool 13) drawing for duck blinds will be held on Saturday, July 28, at the House of Events in Savanna IL. The House of Events is located in downtown Savanna at 108 Main Street, across from City Hall. Applications will be accepted from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with the drawing to be held at 2:00 p.m. You must apply in person and must be present at the drawing. When your ticket is drawn in the lottery, you will select your choice from the 39 available blinds. A $10 application fee is required. A $100 non-refundable blind fee is charged for each applicant that receives a blind.

Applicants are required to show the following information: photo identification, 2007 Hunting or 2007 Sportsmans License, 2007 Federal waterfowl stamp, 2007 State duck stamp and a Firearm Owners Identification Card (IL residents only). Residents under 21 who are accompanied by an adult (21 or older who has a valid card) do not need the FOID. Non residents can provide a current year license and state stamp from their resident state.

Interested hunters may contact the Refuge Office at 815-273-2732 for an application and blind regulations or stop in the office. Information can also be obtained at http://midwest.fws.gov/UpperMississippiRiver website. The Refuge Office is located at 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson, IL (approximately 4 miles south of Savanna off of Hwy 84, behind Metform).

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the most visited refuge in the United States. The refuge extends 261 miles along the Upper Mississippi River from Wabasha MN. to Princeton, IA., protecting and preserving habitat for migratory birds, fish, and a variety of other wildlife. This 240,000 acre refuge was established in 1924.

New furbearer management program at Spring Lake Refuge

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a new furbearer management program to be implemented this fall 2007 within the 3,600 acre Spring Lake unit in Savanna IL. Previously, the Spring Lake unit was closed to trapping (and all entry) from October 1 to the end of the duck hunting season to provide a sanctuary for waterfowl. However, muskrat and beaver populations in Spring Lake are causing damage to Refuge structures. This new program will allow increased access within Spring Lake for the harvest of muskrat and beaver.

This new furbearer management program will allow exclusive trapping rights within Spring Lake under restrictive conditions during the duck hunting season. Exclusive trapping rights will be awarded to the highest bidder. Bid forms will be available September 1, and bids will be accepted from September 15 to October 15 at the Savanna District Office located at 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson IL 61285. Bids will be opened on October 16 and full payment must be received by October 19.

Other details of the new furbearer management program include: access into the trapping unit will only be allowed from 11am-2pm daily to reduce disturbance to waterfowl; 3 helpers can accompany the trapper; vehicular access is allowed on some levees; no Refuge trap tags are needed and an unlimited number of traps are allowed; exclusive trapping rights will end on the last day of the regular duck hunting season and all traps must be removed, and; trapping will be in accordance with the Illinois furbearer season.

For additional information on this new furbearer management program at the Spring Lake unit, contact the Refuge office at the above address or telephone 815-273-2732.

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