A sign posting the Boyum Trail in the Koochiching State Forest as a hunter walking trail may be taken down until its closure by the state can be further discussed.
Larry Petersen, Department of Natural Resources Area Wildlife manager, met with the Koochiching County Board Tuesday to discuss the process that led to the posting of the trail as a hunter walking trail.
When asked by the board Tuesday whether the sign could be removed until more discussion on the issue next week, Petersen said, “I put it up, I can take it down.”
Commissioners are expected to meet next week with Craig Engwall, Northeast Region director of the DNR, to discuss the issue of posting trails as hunter walking trails, which prohibit motorized use.
Petersen said the closure to motorized use of the trail began with a mandate by the Minnesota Legislature to determine the appropriate use of trails in state forests and included a public process in 2008.
Petersen said the hunter walking trails represent just 18.5 miles out of more than 1,100 miles of state forest trails that allow motorized use in the Borderland area. He said the walking trails represent less than 2 percent of the state forest trails in the area.
While commissioners recalled the public process involved in designating state forest trails, they said they and the public should have been notified prior to the posting of the Boyum Trail. Some small game hunters were surprised with the posting on the first weekend of the season, they said.
Petersen said he could have posted the trail a hunter walking trail immediately after the 2008 process, but he said he waited until he had funding to mow and perform other maintenance used on walking trails.
Board Chairman Brian McBride and others at the meeting said the Boyum Trail has six hunting camps within a half mile of the posted road. While no access to shacks or leases are being impacted, he said it limits a traditional use — all-terrain vehicle — by local residents.
Petersen said the DNR must consider multi-use of the state forests and many members of the public have asked for walking trails. He said locating walking trails in Borderland is difficult because of the challenge to find places that can be closed to motorized use in a place with a unique hunting shack tradition.
McBride and others said that they value walking trails, but they must be selected with care. “There’s nothing better than walking with a dog or a kid, but (the trails) need to be strategically placed,” he said.
He said he’s concerned that posting the trails to non-motorized use may block access to state and county land.
Conservation Office Darrin Kittelson attended the meeting and said that while more communication could have occurred prior to the posting, the public was aware that the meetings held in 2008 could result in some trails being designated for non-motorized use.
Belmer Cole and Keith Kleppe said they were opposed to designating the Boyum Trail as non-motorized. Kleppe said he is being discriminated against because he is unable to walk well.
“What’s wrong with interviewing the six shack owners and seeing if we can come with an idea where a walking trail could be placed?” asked Cole.
