Outdoor Notes: Brainerd Elks Annual Fishing Fling is back May 10

BRAINERD — The Brainerd Elks Fishing Fling is returning May 10 to the Brainerd National Guard Armory.

The Fishing Fling event is an annual fundraiser to provide area high school students with thousands of dollars in scholarships.

The event is open to the public and there will be opportunities to win an array of prizes. Some of the prizes include $1,000 from Cub Foods; a Gophers weekend; VIP passes to Lakes Jam; a Gull Lake dinner cruise; Cragun’s Resort certificates; and countless rods, reels, tackle and more.

Social hour begins at 5 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. and a program and prizes to follow. Choice of dinner is prime rib or chicken and the featured guest speaker is Dick Jonckowski, voice of the Gophers of over 30 years.

Tickets are available from any Elks members or at the Elks Lodge in Brainerd for $75. Call the Elks at 218-829-2643 after 3 p.m. to reserve tickets.

Look for more information and updates on Facebook and at the Elks website at www.BrainerdElks615.org .

The proceeds benefit the Elks Youth Activities Fund that provides scholarships to area high school students.

An ATV Safety Field Day Class will be 9 a.m. May 6 in Walker. The instructor will be Craig Wadzink.

To pre-register, which is required, or for questions, contact Wadzink at 763-300-0094 (leave a message if no answer) or email cdwadzink@gmail.com .

Students ages 10-15 must have completed the online ATV safety course prior to class start date in order to be eligible to take this class. They also must bring to class proof of course completion. Parents or Guardians are strongly encouraged to attend classroom training with their children.

Firearms Safety Field Day classes will be held in Brainerd. Classroom dates are 4:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2; and 4:30-7:30 p.m Thursday, May 4. The field day is at noon May 7. Participants must attend all three days.

The instructor is Steve Nelson. To register or for questions contact Nelson at 218-766-4127.

This is a Field Day for students who have completed the Hunter Course online program. Students must be 11 years old before the date of the Field Day. Students must bring a Field Day Voucher to the Field Day. Parents or Guardians must attend the first 30 minutes of the Field Day. The classroom and field day will be outdoors so students should dress accordingly. Students must pre-register.

Saturday, May 6: “Turtle Crossing” from 10:30-11:15 a.m. This talk will explore the natural history and behavior of turtles found in and around Kathio State Park. The talk will be followed by a visit from our turtle friend, Shellby. Meet at the amphitheater located next to the Interpretive Center. In case of rain or inclement weather, the program will be held inside the Interpretive Center.

May 13: “Wildflower Hike: What’s Blooming?” from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Join the park naturalist on a half-mile walk to enjoy the beautiful spring wildflowers popping up along the trail. Visit different habitats to learn about what makes each of these plants unique. Meet in front of the Interpretive Center. In case of rain or inclement weather, the program will be canceled.

May 20: “Wildflower Hike: What’s Blooming?” from 10:30-11:30 a.m.. Join the park naturalist on a half-mile walk to enjoy the beautiful spring wildflowers popping up along the trail. Visit different habitats to learn about what makes each of these plants unique. Meet in front of the Interpretive Center. In case of rain or inclement weather, the program will be canceled.

May 27: Special Program: “Professional Photography Workshop” from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Professional photographer Steve Kohls will lead this special three-hour class. Learn how to use and maximize your individual camera, while learning tips on techniques and equipment. After the initial instruction, we will take a short walk to photograph beautiful wildflowers. We’ll finish back at the building where Steve will look at photos and provide helpful tips. Feel free to bring a lunch to eat during the last portion. Meet at the Interpretive Center.

May 27: Special Program: “Remarkable Reptiles” from 7-8 a.m. Jim Gerholdt will use live turtles, lizards and snakes to illustrate this family-oriented program about reptiles of Minnesota … and beyond! Meet at the amphitheater located next to the Interpretive Center.

In case of rain or inclement weather, the program will be held inside the Interpretive Center.

May 28: Kids’ Activity: “Wildlife BINGO” from 2-2:45 p.m. Learn about area wildlife while trying to get a bingo to win a cool prize! Meet in front of the Interpretive Center. In case of rain or inclement weather, the program will be held inside the Interpretive Center.

May 29: Mille Lacs Kathio State Park’s Scavenger Hunt from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Let the search begin! Grab a Scavenger Hunt Form at the Interpretive Center to start your adventure. Once you complete the scavenger hunt, return the form to the Interpretive Center between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to claim your prize. All ages welcome!

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in the Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area to participate in a webinar and help inform the DNR’s updates to the WMA’s master plan.

The webinar will be held 6-8 p.m. May 9. DNR staff will present a brief overview of the WMA and the planning process, answer questions and take feedback during the session. Registration is not required. A link to join the webinar is available on the DNR’s Mille Lacs WMA webpage at mndnr.gov/areas/wildlife/mille_lacs_wma.html .

Mille Lacs WMA’s 43,000 acres provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species. The updated master plan will be used to guide management of the WMA’s forests, wetlands, and brushlands. It will include management goals, objectives and strategies for the WMA for the next 10 years.

“The last plan was completed in 1977,” said Steve Piepgras, Mille Lacs WMA supervisor, in a news release. “This update to the plan will guide how this WMA will be managed into the future, and public input is an important part of this process.”

Input from the upcoming webinar will help the DNR develop a draft management plan for Mille Lacs WMA. The draft plan will be available for public review and input in early fall. At that time, people will be able to comment on the draft plan in person, online and via mail/email. The DNR will finalize the plan by Dec. 31.