articles from December, 1993 newsletter:
President's Message
Ahh, another summer gone by on the Lake. The walleyes were stripped and the suckers were sold. The northerns were trapped and later the fry were released. The buoys were numbered and the lights flashed on into the night. The loons were counted and the water was sampled. The Appreciation Dinner was enjoyed by all and the Annual Meeting was a great look back on the first 25 years of the Club. All in all it was a good year for Lake Vermilion.
Throughout the year, monthly to be exact, the Board of Directors gets together to set agendas, priorities and objectives for the Club. Those meetings can get pretty lively as 12 of us try to agree on what we think is best for the Lake and what is it our members feel is important. During one recent meeting, Doug Watt presented us with a thought about the Lake that is well worth sharing. Doug is a forester with the U.S. Forest Service. He says the Forest Service, when it looks at managing a forest, looks not only at what the forest can provide for us today, but what it will do for us 100 and 200 years from now.
Doug challenged the Board to think about Lake Vermilion that very same way. Think about it. What do we want the Lake to look like 100 years from now. Many of us have seen the changes that have occurred in 25 years. And we've seen how those changes have accelerated. Imagine 100 more years of it.
Don't get me wrong. l'm not saying all changes are bad, they're just changes. You decide which changes you feel are an improvement and which would hurt the Lake. Then project your changes on into the future for 100 years. What does your Lake look like then? (How about sharing that vision with us?)
Needless to say, the Board meetings will become a lot more interesting. The role of being a Board member has taken on a whole new meaning. And so should that of just being a member. Thanks, Doug, we needed that!
To the Lake, Rick Pearson
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Muskie Wrangling
It all started with a call from Duane Williams, DNR Fisheries guru from Ely. The DNR needed assistance from the Club. And as always, we jumped at the opportunity. It seems the DNR fish shocking boat picked up some young muskie fry this fall in their survey results. These were young fry apparently hatched naturally in the Lake.
The earliest plants of the Leech Lake strain of muskie have not only reached keeper size (40 plus inches in length), but breeding size as well. The problem for the DNR fish managers is how to tell naturally-spawned muskies from the annual 5000+ planted fry going in from now on.
Duane Williams from the DNR shows Barb how they clip the right pelvic fin.
Enter our Club volunteers. Armed, not with branding irons, but scissors and dressed in that late season layered look, Barb Shook, P.K. Edwards and Rick Pearson, met up with the muskie herd at Peterson's Landing late one blustery afternoon. Along with several DNR Fisheries staff, they took on the task of clipping off one of the ventral side fins from each of about half of 1,400 muskie fry. The rest were clipped and released at the landing at Oak Narrows.
There were a lot of things flying around that day -- a lot of good natured banter, a lot of squirming muskies and clipped fins galore. Barb Shook now claims that she has handled more muskies than most fishermen see in a lifetime. It's a sight to see a 12-inch muskie fry squirt out of someone's cold hands five feet in the air only to be chased down by an overdressed, scissors-wielding maniac. One can only imagine at 12 inches in length, with all that strength, what a 40+ incher would do at the end of a fishing line. Better yet, one can only dream of perusing the tackle catalogs in the depths of winter searching for the gear necessary to put one of those legal sized fish into the boat.
Because of time constraints and scheduling conflicts at the hatchery, the rest of the 5,000 plants were clipped before being transported to the other stocking sites on the Lake, so the Tower-end folks weren't able to get in on the fun. After hearing the stories of the muskie wrangling, the Tower-end volunteers were lined up and ready to go. Next year another 5,000 get clipped and planted, so get ready.
And to top it off, the DNR feels it necessary to thank us -if they only knew. (P.S. -- some of us are stiII picking dried fin clips out of our layers.)
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Hatcheries or Habitat -- Which Works?
From a national perspective, as taxpayers start to pay off the national debt, and as money for national and state programs gets reduced, state and federal agencies look very closely at whether programs work and are cost effective -- that is, whether taxpayers are getting enough bang for their bucks.
After extensive evaluation by the Minnesota DNR, it is clear that sometimes stocking fish doesn't provide much bang, at least not as much as other methods, such as taking care of walleye spawning habitat. As many as 96% of walleyes caught by anglers are wild fish. In other words, only 4% of the walleyes that anglers catch are from hatcheries.
Why so low? Only a fraction of stocked fish survive predation and other natural causes long enough to reach catchable size. For example, of every 10,000 fry stocked, only about three adult fish are caught by anglers. And this is in lakes where stocking works. Research shows that only about 1/3 of the attempts to stock walleyes actually succeed to improve fishing.
This tells us two things:
1 . In lakes where stocking actually improves fishing, stocking should be considered as a management tool.
2. Because nature is doing such a good job producing walleyes in many of our lakes, we should make sure we don't mess up this incredible productive capacity by polluting the water in walleye lakes and destroying spawning habitat (in other words, pollute by covering it with silt and algae, the byproducts of water pollution).
We need to continue to regulate point sources of pollution (e.g. industries dumping wastes and cities dumping sewage). We need to start better controlling nonpoint sources of pollution, such as erosion from clear-cut hillsides, nutrient runoff from feedlots, farm fields, city streets and over-fertilized lawns. And we need to help reduce nonpoint pollution, for example, by reducing removal of shoreline vegetation around lakes, which help anchor silt from erosion and capture nutrients.
(Arrowhead Currents - Fall 1993)
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History of Lake Vermilion
Last spring we asked for articles on families with long histories of ownership on Lake Vermilion. This is the first such article we received. Many thanks to John Taylor, Jr for submitting this article.
EARLY DAYS AT LAKE VERMILION
Written by J.W. Taylor, Sr.
Spring of 1986
The Taylor family arrived at Cook the summer of 1923 after touring Minnesota in two Model T Fords. We camped out in those days. Every town had a tourist campground.
We were very impressed with Minnesota gravel highways and the paving through the Iron Range.
It had been a rainy week and we were tired and wet when Dad, Professor Taylor, stopped at the Leding Brothers General Store and post office in Cook. We inquired about a resort where we could spend a couple of weeks.
The Ledings recommended Chaps Lodge (now the Red Loon) and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. Dad and Chap became good friends and the last week we were at the lodge, Dad began to look around for a lot to buy, as we had all fallen in love with Lake Vermilion. The day before we were to leave, Chap told Dad about an island he had always wanted to buy but couldn't swing the purchase at that time. He took Dad over to visit with Hank Joyce, son of Mrs. Schroeder who owned Joyce's Landing (now Pehrson's). Hank had homesteaded what is now Taylor's Island and was interested in selling it. Dad looked at it and closed the deal that day.
The Joyces had acquired all the land along the south shore from the landing to Camp Vermilion. Hank had taken down the old log mission building at the Indian graveyard and moved it over to the island for himself. He was cutting and selling railroad ties, so he used the reject ties to add two bedrooms and a living room to the old mission building to make a home for the homestead. We still use this for our summer house.
Our first addition at the island was a new dock on a stone crib which Mr. Chapman made on the ice in the winter; then he built an icehouse which he filled each winter for $10.
Fishing was wonderful. You could get your limit of walleyes, 16, in an hour any morning, so we always had a layer of fish on the top of the ice in the icehouse.
We had one of the first two-cylinder aluminum outboards (an Elto). It was rated at 3-hp. and was the fastest motor on the lake and sometimes the only motor on the lake. Ou r boats were Dumphy boats made over in Wisconsin. Chap liked them so well he used them as a model for about a dozen he made for Chaps Lodge.
In 1924 Route 24 ended at Fernland's (The Landing), and we hiked into Elbow Lake, Linger Longer Camp (Elbow Lake Lodge) to deliver their mail. One night when a chum of mine, Paul Siville, and I hiked in, we saw the most beautiful display of northern lights we had ever seen.
All of that camp on EIbow Lake was buiIt by lumber boated in from Chaps, via Black Bay, Black River, Susan Lake and portaged to Elbow Lake.
One of my early surprises was that few of the farmers had horses -- just cows, chickens and children. You would see a hay cock going down the road and under it was a farmer carrying it.
A lot of the woodsmen would walk to town and it was interesting to see them in Ledings' or Mike Sorvari's, checking out all the summer items and putting them in their packs and walking back to their homes.
In those days you could only get fresh meat two days a week -- when the butcher killed the meat.
Professor Taylor was an old lowa farm boy and loved to wear bibbed overalls and visit with people. I remember when we had some extra fish, all caught legally; and we took a sack of fish, 50 or 60, into town with us. Dad was in Ledings', giving them away, when the Game Warden came in and wanted to know how many fish he had. All the rest of the family had gone around town, so Dad was really left holding the sack with too many fish. The Game Warden wanted to arrest Dad, but when he told his story in front of all those present in the store, especially those who had received fish, he decided to let it go. In those days it always amazed us that so few Cook people went out to the lake to fish, so all appreciated the fish we brought into town.
Since Dad had the summers off at the University of Nebraska, our family spent many happy summers at the lake. The people of Cook were very friendly. We especially remember the Gustafsons, Ledings, Sorvaris, Johnsons (where we got our milk), the Coopers at the restaurant, and Mr. Swanson, the druggist.
Our family -- Dad, Mother, my sister Beth and brother Seth, all passed on in a short period of time, but the John Taylor, Sr. family has always made the island their summer residence. Kathryn and I came up to the lake on our honeymoon in 1928. It was quite an experience for a new bride to cook on a wood stove, but she loved the lake. Our son, daughter, and six grandchildren all think that Lake Vermilion is right next to Heaven. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary at Trinity Lutheran Church in 1978.
We enjoy the Senior Citizens Club, Trinity Lutheran Church, and all our many present-day friends in Cook and on the lake.
Fishing isn't as good, but Kathryn and I head north from Florida to be there the first of June.
This year, our 80th year, we plan to fly up instead of driving the 2,000 miles and help our daughter and son-in-law, Sis and Walter Kurth, build their new summer home.
Soon the next generation will take over, with the John, Jr. family in the old mission and the Kurths in their new home.
Our modern homes with telephone, REA, and high powered boats are a long way from the 1920s.
Note: John, Sr. died in 1990 at age 84 and Kathryn in 1992 at 86.
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1993 Loon Count
331 LOONS . . . 122 Singles, 79 Pair and 51 Chicks!!!
YOU MUST BE SEEING THINGS!!!
At least that is what I thought when all the figures were in on our July count. In fact, there was such a marked increase in numbers I called Jack Mooty, the regional nongame wildlife specialist in Grand Rapids, to see if he could account for the increase. During our conversation I found out Lake Vermilion is the only lake in Minnesota that has been counting loons for 10 years since we initiated the program in 1983. Knife Lake in the BWCA has been periodically surveyed, i.e. 1950, 1965-68, 1975. The loon population there has been very stable since 1975 in spite of the recreational use increasing eight times since 1950.
Mr. Mooty felt there might be several factors resulting in the increase in numbers. One factor could be that in 1991-1992 we had large numbers of chicks that had a good survival rate in their winter habitat. Another factor could be that the loons born on any specific lake do not come back to that lake for two or sometimes three years, plus they do not nest or mate each year, which could account for the increase of singles or unmated pairs that we saw last summer.
We will continue to do our loon count each year and at his request send the results to him at the Grand Rapids office. Now in each of the next few issues of the newsletter we are going to include 10 questions from the "Loon Lovers Digest" starting with the top 10 questions people ask and conclude with the final 10 "Beyond Fanaticism."
Board Member - Barb Shook
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Big Tree Contest Winners
The Sportsmen's Club announced winners of the Big Tree Contest at its annual meeting in August. And winners they were! Certificates were displayed at the meeting and, along with plaques, were then sent to the winners.
With 26 entries in the White Pine category, the giant was a 37.9 inch diameter (that's 119 inches in circumference) owned (or should we say caretaken) by Donald A. Fredricks at 95052 Smarts Bay. Don spends his winters in Mt.Carroll, Ill.
There were 17 Red Pine or Noway Pine entries. The winner was another behemoth of 33.4 inches in diameter (or 105 inches in circumference) growing on the property of Gayle Hautman from Minneapolis. And of the three Spruce entries, the largest was submitted by Eddie Feist from 2998 Vermilion Drive on the Cook end of the Lake. Eddie's giant went 27.8 inches in diameter or 78 inches in circumference.
Many of the entrants submitted lists of other large trees on their properties besides their largest. All told, well over 100 trees were brought to our attention. They, the big trees, represent just one of the many natural resources on our Lake. Resources that make Lake Vermilion Minnesota's finest lake.
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Birch Mortality
Why are the white birch trees at our cabin dying?
Should we be cutting them down and planting other trees?
Much of the problem with biroh trees is that in many cases they are mature (60-75 years). Mature trees might average 10" in diameter and reach 70' in height. Mature trees die for no apparent reasons and any unusual stress can speed the process. Beginning in 1987, birch mortality increased dramatically when Minnesota forests suffered tremendous stresses from severe drought, coupled with insect defoliators, and attack from bronze birch borers. Drought and insect stress showed up as dieback at the top of trees, potentially killing the tree. Our birch trees were under attack! The drought lasted over four years.
A recent DNR birch survey taken in Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Carlton and Koochiching counties showed tremendous losses in the birch resource during the four-year dry period of 1988-91. The number of birch with at least 30% dieback amounted to more than 37 million. Birch mortality during this period reached 81 million trees.
Rainfall during the 1992 growing season was the most received since 1987; the moisture was spread out and, coupled with a cooler than normal year, helped relieve trees of heat stress. The cool season also seemed to slow insect activity -- all of which we hope points to a recovery.
The prospect for the future of our birch is excellent. Observations show them on the way to full recovery.
Enjoy and replant -- birch will continue to brighten our environment.
(Arrowhead Currents -- Summer 1993)
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VermiIion / Marion Lake Land Exchange
The following is a synopsis of the process that occurred in the Lake Vermilion / Marion Lake land exchange proposal. Please contact the LaCroix Ranger District if you have further questions.
The Superior National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (SNF-LRMP) was approved in 1986. Management of SNF isolated lands was addressed as an issue in the LRMP. Some lands were identified as high potential for exchange due to the cost of managing isolated parcels. The National Forest lands on the west end of Lake Vermilion were listed as lands with high priarity for exchange consideration.
The SNF saw the opportunity to acquire most of the private lands around Marion Lake. this area is not developed and the SNF saw the opportunity to maintain this area in its present condition. Mr. John Bouska who owns the land around Marion Lake was willing to exchange the property for National Forest lands on the west end of Lake Vermilion.
Part of the exchange process requires both parties to agree on the appraised fair market value of all lands to be exchanged. An independent appraiser was agreed upon by both Mr. Bouska and the SNF. The appraiser determined that the 337.98 acres of land owned by Mr. Bouska was equal to 71 .45 of National Forest land on the west end of Lake Vermilion.
An environmental analysis was conducted on the proposal. Such an analysis involved environmental considerations as well as obtaining public involvement prior to making a decision. Many people shared their views on this specific exchange proposal. Upon consideration of the analysis, the Forest Supervisor decided not to proceed with this exchange for the following reasons:
* The exchange would not be in the public's best interest. The Lake Vermilion land has many values that better serve the public by remaining in public ownership.
* The Lake Vermilion land contains the only public dispersed camping site on the west end of the lake, and the site is heavily used.
* The land is located in a large bay that has minimum development and a unique visual character.
* The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently classified BLM lands in this bay as semi-primitive, motorized; and the State of Minnesota has recently entered into an agreement to manage BLM islands on Lake Vermilion.
* Quality public land on Lake Vermilion is at a premium. Transfer of this resource from public ownership would not be in the best interest of public land users.
The SNF will continue to exchange lands in order to consolidate ownership. On Lake Vermilion the LaCroix Ranger District would only support exchanges with another government agency to ensure that public lands remain available for public use.
Board Member - Doug Watt
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And Let There Be Light
Part af the agenda for the annual meeting of SCLV back in 1992 was to resolve a problem concerning the navigational lights which the Club maintains on Lake Vermilion. The problem being, we could not seem to find an insurance carrier who would indemnify the Club's liability in the operation of these lights. The previous purveyors, as you may recall, had been raising our premiums every year to almost unaffordaple levels, and we were finally told that we could no longer obtain coverage. The matter was put to a vote of the attending members and it was determined, rightfully so, to suspend operation of the lights immediately. (Well, we didn't; we let the batteries go dead, then we picked 'em up.) It seemed that there would be a lot of dark and dismal nights ahead for Lake Vermilion starting with the 1993 season.
The SCLV Board began to explore other options, ideas, alternatives. But nothing was really happening until Helen and Pat Patrow went fishing with their friend and neighbor and fellow Club member, Mike Gourley. They probably didn't catch any fish, they never do, no, not with Helen in the boat. But anyway, that evening over a cocktail, Pat was telling Mike about our light woes. Mike said simply, "I know who will do it." To make a short story even longer, Mike put us in touch with Steve Kent who works with the firm of Kirke-Van Orsdel in Des Moines and we have got our lights back! WHOOPEE!
We have installed a new maintenance program which will help in keeping the lights operational. We call it "Adopt A Light." In the past there were only a few people who serviced all the lights; and it was a problem. But now with the onset of "Adopt A Light," we have volunteers who can look out their living room window and see if the light is functioning. If not, they go fix it. These folks have extra batteries, bulbs and even a spare light in case one gets broken. The system may not be perfect as yet, but will continue to improve as we learn.
These are the members who have so graciously volunteered with "Adopt A Light" and they most certainly deserve our thanks. I only hope and pray that I do not inadvertently leave somebody out. The other day my aging mind remembered that I had forgot to remember what I had forgotten. Or, something close to that. SCLV wishes to publicly thank the following participants. We also thank their spouses for keeping them out of the rocks.
They are: P.K. Edwards; Mark Ludlow and staff; Greg Raps; Glenn Mauston; Art Noteboom; Ted Jeske; Dick Nivala; William Dearlove; Jack Palo; Bill Mitchell and family; Irve Stoddard; Joe Cantrell; Pat Patrow; Harold Korpela; Jim Nelson; Duane Auger; and Tom Moore. A special thanks goes to Dave Stanton and Harold Korpela for making up the new standards and brackets for the new lights which were added this year. We also want to thank Ray Harris, Leon Long, and Doug Watt, long-time Board Members who we have learned to count on for many years. Good job, folks.
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Navigation Lights
WHAT POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANCE COULD THE NUMBER 251,781,562 HAVE TO DO WITH LAKE VERMILION AND THE SPORTSMEN'S CLUB? ...
AND NOW, GOOD PEOPLE, HERE IS THE ANSWER TO THE TRIVIA OR DRIVEL, your choice, AS TO WHAT THE NUMBER 251,781,562 HAS TO DO WITH OUR LAKE AND CLUB . . . God forbid, What is the number of times our navigational lights flash on Lake Vermilion during an average season. Really, I have used the following formula in factoring the number.
1.1 seconds (length of time between flashes) x 60 seconds per min. x 60 min. per hour x 9.6 hrs. (average time they are on per night) x # of lights (30) x 207 (# of days from May to October) = 251,781,562. I have even taken into account the temperature, wind direction and velocity and a margin for error on the two Casios which wore out.
Reflecting here, I do realize some of you may take exception to my findings. If that be the case, then I will only suggest that YOU go count 'em. I lost track up in Oak Narrows three times and I'm not going back out there.
See you on the Lake,
Sparky
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The Recipe Corner:
VENISON TERIYAKI
2 lbs. venison round steak or tenderloin (1-1/2" thick)
1 can condensed beef consomme
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. brown sugar
Slice meat diagonally across the grain, 1/4" deep; place in a glass dish. Combine other ingredients and pour over meat. Refrigerate overnight. Drain meat and broil 3-4 inches from heat for 5 minutes. Baste with marinade and broil other side 5 minutes. Keep meat moist by basting while broiling. Serve the venison slightly pink in the middle. Take care not to overcook.
PHEASANT SUPREME
2 pheasants, cleaned and cut in pieces for serving
Brown the pheasant pieces in 1/2 c. butter or shortening. Transfer the pieces to a casserole. Place the following in the frying pan and stir (over low heat) for a few minutes:
1 c. diced celery
2 tbsp. minced onion
1 tbsp. flour
salt and pepper
Add this mixture to the pheasant. Pour on 1/4 c. sherry and 3/4 c. cream. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.
(This pheasant recipe is a favorite of Ruth Murphey's.)
WILD RICE
1 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 c. sl. mushrooms
1/4 cup butter or oleo
2-1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
Saute almonds, onion, celery and mushrooms in butter until almonds are golden. Combine with rice and pour into greased 1-1/2 quart casserole. Heat broth and wine to boiling and stir into wild rice mixture. Cover tightly and bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours or until liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy.
Variations:
2 tbsp green onions or chives can be substituted for onion.
The total 3 cups liquid can include cream soup or French onion soup.
The total 1 cup rice can include 1/3 cup wild rice, 1/3 cup brown or white rice and 1/3 cup pearl barley.
One 8-oz. can of mushrooms (drained) can be substituted for the fresh.
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Water Testing Program - By Paula Bloczynski
Since 1983 the Club has spot-tested the water of Lake Vermilion. The testing is done early in August by volunteers from the Club. The sites tested this year included 22 of the original sites, all the public swimming beaches and a few additional sites suggested by Club members. The first set of tests were drawn on Monday, Aug. 9 and we had the test results back in time for our Sept. 8 board of directors meeting. At that meeting, we looked over the results and decided to re-test eight sites that had shown higher than usual fecal coliform counts. Volunteers went out again on Sept. 14 and took samples at and around these eight sites. Seven of the eight tests came back showing marked improvement. The mouth of the East Two River at Tower still showed an elevated count. This has been called to the attention of the St. Louis County Health Department and they will monitor the location.
Thanks to these volunteers who took samples: Pat and Helen Patrow, Pattie Borgstrom, Mike Bourley, Harold Olson and Murline Tahija at the Tower end and Rick Pearson and Dale Lundblad at the Cook end.
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Membership Notes
This is the last newsletter before we send out the billing statements in January. I have over 100 names in the files who have not paid dues in two years and those names will be removed from the mailing list. In many cases it is an oversight, or the statement gets laid aside to "do later" and later never comes. We need your support to continue the projects that are ongoing and to initiate some new ones.
Please when you receive the statement, answer as promptly as you can. Our $5, $8 and $10 dues are a bargain, folks, if we can keep Vermilion clean and safe and beautiful.
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