Outdoors Notebook: Ron Reynolds award, N.D. muzzleloader etc.

USFWS honors Reynolds

with Distinguished Service Award

Ron Reynolds, a longtime U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist in North Dakota, was honored last week with the service's most prestigious award, the Distinguished Service Award.

Reynolds, project leader for the service's Habitat and Population Evaluation Team in Bismarck, was among five employees to receive the award last week during the 67th U.S. Department of Interior Awards Convocation. In all, 26 service employees received various awards for their efforts in conserving the nation's natural resources.

In a news release, the service said Reynolds' leadership, ability and devotion have led to extraordinary scientific achievements and benefits in the area of wildlife resource conservation. Reynolds authored 25 scientific papers and was involved in another 40 scientific papers authored by teams. His scientific products have solved numerous complex conservation issues.

Reynolds' research of landscape conservation has resulted in the protection of more than 90,000 acres of wetlands and grasslands in the Prairie Pothole Region alone. Another 100,000 acres of Conservation Reserve Program wetlands and grasslands, which Reynolds identified, were dedicated by the Department of Agriculture.

His models and work enabled the service to form key partnerships with federal, state, local and nongovernmental organizations. The practices he developed have been instituted as a model for the Service's Strategic Habitat Conservation adaptive resource management framework.

-- Herald staff report

Some tags remain for

N.D. muzzleloader hunt

BISMARCK -- North Dakota's muzzleloader deer season opens at noon Friday and continues through Dec. 12. Hunters with a lottery muzzleloader license can hunt white-tailed deer statewide.

In addition, unfilled second, third or other concurrent season any-antlerless, antlerless whitetail or antlerless mule deer licenses are still valid, but only in the unit to which the license is assigned. Hunters with these licenses must use a muzzleloader and hunt only the species printed on the license.

Doe licenses are still available in units 3F1, 3F2 and 4F. Hunters must use a muzzleloader with these licenses and hunt in the assigned unit. Residents and nonresidents are eligible to apply for additional concurrent-season antlerless licenses.

Hunters can apply online at gf.nd.gov. Licenses can be purchased throughout the season as long as they are available.

-- N.D. Game and Fish Department

Wanted: Ethical

hunter nominees

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association and Turn In Poachers are seeking nominees for the 18th Annual Minnesota Deer Hunter Ethics Award.

The award will honor a deer hunter who has exhibited conduct during the 2010 season that can serve as a positive example to all hunters. Awards for youth and adult divisions will be presented to the selected recipients at an upcoming MDHA event held in their vicinity.

"MDHA is pleased to again co-sponsor this award along with TIP and the DNR," said Mark Johnson, executive director of the MDHA. "This is an important award that highlights the ethical behavior of our deer hunters and singles out the types of ethical hunters we hope all hunters aspire to be: hunters who care about our hunting heritage, care about fairness and care about the image we as hunters portray."

Anyone may nominate a hunter by writing a letter or e-mail explaining the actions of the nominee and why that person is worthy of recognition. Both youth and adults are eligible, but nominees must be Minnesota residents.

Nominations will be accepted until Jan. 21. Send nomination letters to Ethical Hunter Award, MDHA, 460 Peterson Road, Grand Rapids, MN 55744-8413; fax to (218) 327-1349; or e-mail to kimhanson@mndeerhunters.com .

Did you know?

- Walleye anglers who fish Lake Mille Lacs are reminded that effective Dec. 1, regulations change allowing them to keep four walleye up to 18 inches. Anglers must release all walleye from 18 inches to 28 inches and can keep one walleye longer than 28 inches.

- The DNR is warning parents to caution their children to stay off ponds, streams and other water bodies that now have a thin coating of ice. Ice safety guidelines recommend a minimum of 4 inches of ice for walking, 5 inches for snowmobiles and 8 to 12 inches for automobiles. As of Thursday no ice in Minnesota had been reported by DNR conservation officers as safe for walking.