Cook County ATV Club February meeting Monday, February 20, 6 p.m. at 1843 County Road 7. Potluck, then meeting. All are welcome.

Before the first running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in 1980, there was the Gunflint Mail Run. On Monday, January 30 and Tuesday, January 31, 2012, the race will be revived.

The last time this happened was in 2007, when the Beargrease race was also cancelled due to lack of snow. For this year’s version, Stone Harbor teamed up with The Landing at Devil Track, Trail Center Resort, the Cook County Dog Mushers, and the Cook County Ridge Riders snowmobile club to create the race route. It will include the opportunity to experience winter camping at Devil Track, similar to the Sawbill Winter Camping Village that would have taken place in Tofte during the Beargrease event.

A full roster of racers had signed up at press time, ranging from local mushers Odin Jorgenson and Frank Moe of Colvill to Tim Osmar of Wasilla, Alaska, who has placed second in the famed Iditarod. The 2010 Beargrease winner, Nathan Schroeder of Chisholm, MN will be joining the Mail Run.

The race will begin on Devil Track Lake at approximately 4 p.m. on Monday, January 30, with an expected finish before noon on Tuesday, January 31. Mushers will travel from Devil Track to the Trail Center, where they will have a fivehour layover. After that, they will make their way back down to Devil Track, for a total route of approximately 100 miles.

Sarah Hamilton, owner of the Trail Center said, “We really enjoy being the turnaround point for the Beargrease each year and are excited to hear that our musher friends will still be stopping by mid-race.”

Spectators are encouraged to join in the festivities at Trail Center or at Devil Track. Winter camping at Devil Track will begin on Sunday evening and continue Monday night, with heated tents and other gear supplied by Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply. There will be a purse and other prizes for racers, plus fun activities for racers and spectators alike. If the weather allows, there will be snow kiting demos, Marquette ski demos, and other winter activities courtesy of Stone Harbor.

Although the status of the gray wolf does not directly pertain to ATVing, the Cook County ATV Club knows that its members are interested in news about Minnesota wildlife. For that reason, we will periodically share news from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources or U.S. Forest Service or other entities, such as this article about the gray wolf:

Limited wolf season possible in 2012
Minnesota wildlife officials have begun to plan for a limited gray wolf hunting and trapping season in late 2012. This action follows last month’s announcement that wolves will return to state management Jan. 27 following roughly 35 years of federal protection.
Tom Landwehr, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said the agency is taking a “deliberate and science-based” approach to implementing initial wolf hunting and trapping seasons. “Our job, as a natural resource agency, is to implement the state’s Wolf Management Plan, which includes provisions for public taking of wolves,” said Landwehr. “That means we will be taking actions to ensure the long-term survival of the species while also addressing conflicts between wolves and humans.”
Landwehr said the wolf’s recovery in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan is a national success story. The Minnesota DNR, he said, is committed to continuing that success.
Last July, the Minnesota Legislature eliminated a five-year waiting period for a wolf season following delisting of the animal from federal protection. In the weeks ahead, DNR biologists will begin to identify wolf management harvest units and develop other criteria specific to a Minnesota season. Components of the proposed season framework must still be approved by the Legislature, and a chance for public comment will be provided later this year.
“Without a history of regulated wolf seasons, we don’t know what kind of hunter and trapper interest and success rate to expect,” said Dan Stark, DNR large carnivore specialist. For these reasons, he said, it is necessary to be conservative during initial seasons. Stark said the DNR proposal would manage wolves as a prized and high-value fur species by setting the season when pelts are prime, limiting the take through a lottery and requiring animals be registered.
This approach, he said, is different than simply allowing hunters to shoot a wolf as an “incidental take” while primarily pursuing another species such as deer. “Minnesota is different than other areas where wolf hunting is offered, in part, because we have much higher hunter densities and a more compressed big-game hunting season,” Stark said. “Our proposal is a separate season that takes into account when pelts are prime and have their highest value,” Stark said. “This approach will provide hunters and trappers the opportunity to specifically target wolves while minimizing conflicts with other hunting seasons.”
Minnesota has an estimated 3,000 wolves. Wolf numbers and their distribution have remained stable for the past 10 years.
Stark said the DNR presented its wolf hunting proposal to lawmakers during a legislative hearing January 6, 2012. The agency will be seeking additional authorization from the legislature this session to offer a wolf license and implement management strategies. It will also take public comment prior to finalizing and implementing a wolf season.
“The wolf population has been fully recovered in Minnesota for many years,” said Stark. “Our hunting and trapping season approach will be designed to keep it that way. No one wants to see this species needing federal protection again.”

The January meeting will be held at 200 Cardinal Road on Monday, Jan. 16. Join the club for a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. and stay for the meeting to talk about what’s happening with ATVing in Cook County and around the state. All are welcome!

Call 387-9479 for directions or more information.

The ATV Club has been meeting at the homes of various board members, but for December we decided to do something a bit festive. Join the Cook County ATV Club for the December meeting on Monday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. at Harbor Light Supper Club.

All are welcome to join the club for dinner and the meeting.

Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite ATVer? The Cook County ATV Club has just the right thing — an ATV Club whip flag or T-shirt. Check them out at E.R. Perry Signs in Grand Marais. They’d look great under the Christmas tree!

As the folks fortunate enough to live in Cook County year-
round know, the North Shore is one of the most wonderful places to
spend the holidays. It may be a bit to cold for ATVing, but there are a lot of other fun things to do!
In its efforts to champion the unique North Shore holiday experience,
the Cook County Visitors Bureau once again invites visitors to enjoy
“A North Shore Holiday,” a series of themed weekends from Thanksgiving
through Christmas.  Each weekend features opportunities to not only
find distinctive, locally created, personalized gifts but to also meet
the artist or author who created them. To see a complete list of
activities, visit www.anorthshoreholiday.com.

The Cook County ATV Club November meeting will be Monday, Nov. 21 at 1843 County Road 7, 6:00 potluck, meeting follows. Call (218) 387-9844 or e-mail ATV@rideupnorth.com for more information. All are welcome!

Join or renew your membership at the Arrowhead Coalition for Multiple Use Membership Drive Party, American Legion, Saturday, Oct. 22, starting at 5 p.m. Dinner at 5:30, dance to Cook County’s Most Wanted at 8 p.m.

Raffles! Silent Auction! Cash doorprizes of $500, $250 & $100!

ACMU is a great group that supports the traditional and cultural uses of your public lands – hiking, biking ATVing, snowmobiling, mushing, XC skiing, fishing, hunting and boating. Get informed and get involved! Learn more about ACMU at www.arrowheadcmu.org.

The Cook County ATV Club October meeting will be Monday, October 17, 6:00 p.m. at 312 First Avenue East, Grand Marais. Potluck dinner, then meeting. All are welcome!