Almanac: Services would be affected by state shutdown

Will Minnesota's state parks be closed beginning July 1 if there's a state government shutdown? What if you already have a camping reservation?

And will conservation officers be out patrolling lakes and rivers for fish and game violations? Will you even be able to buy a fishing license after June 30?

"We just don't know," said Chris Niskanen, Department of Natural Resources office of communication and outreach administrator.

There are lots of questions but few answers concerning the possible state government shutdown that could occur July 1, unless the Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton reach agreement over how to deal with a $5 billion budget deficit.

Outdoors enthusiasts are among those left hanging. Hundreds of thousands of state park visitors would be affected by a shutdown. Last year, in just the first week of July, state parks had 65,000 campers and 383,000 day visitors. Revenues for the week topped $1 million. This July, more than 13,000 camping reservations have been made.

A shutdown also wouldn't help businesses around the state that cater to park visitors.

"We will be shutting down everything except what is deemed essential," said Bob Meier, assistant DNR commissioner. A judge likely will decide what's "essential," but no one figures state parks will be on that list. However, conservation officers, who are licensed peace officers, might well be deemed essential.

The DNR would have to rely solely on the state's conservation officers -- assuming they were left on the job -- to monitor landings.

That would mean a better chance of zebra mussels and other invasives spreading to more lakes. Losing the inspectors would be a major blow in the battle against invasive species.

"If we don't have them, then we will lose one of the key components [in the fight]," said Jay Rendall, DNR invasive species program coordinator. "But at this point, we're assuming it [budget dispute] will all be worked out."

The last partial state shutdown in 2005 put 9,000 state employees out of work for 10 days. In 2001, about 23,000 workers walked off their jobs in a 14-day dispute.

Peak pheasant hatchThe pheasant hatch is peaking in Minnesota now, and weather over the next several weeks will be critical in determining how many ringnecks the state's 100,000 hunters will find come October.

So the cool, wet spring we've had so far hasn't been good. "It's hard to know what this is doing to reproduction," Haroldson said. The birds suffered through a cold, snowy winter, which no doubt led to higher ringneck mortality. So a good nesting season is all the more critical.

"It would be a huge advantage if we had some warm, dry weather."

Haroldson won't know until the annual August roadside pheasant count is conducted how many pheasants hunters will find this fall.

Duck reg changes?Allowing early-season Canada goose hunters to hunt over water has been controversial because some hunters believe that disturbance forces ducks from the state before the duck season even opens. It was among several hunting regulations debated by the 15-member waterfowl citizens focus group, which met with DNR officials last week.

"There was more support for eliminating that than continuing it," said Brad Nylin, executive director of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association and a member of the focus group. The MWA supports eliminating the early open-water goose hunting.

• Allowing open-water hunting, but possibly only on large lakes in the state, including Superior, Leech and Winnibigoshish. Currently, hunters must hunt in vegetation. Under the idea, they would be allowed to hunt in layout boats, sinkboxes or other craft. There was support for the idea.

• Whether to retain, eliminate or expand the 4 p.m. duck hunting closure the first week of the season, which is intended to reduce pressure on local ducks, keeping them here longer. "More members supported keeping or expanding it," Nylin said.

• Whether the state should create more duck refuges as a way of retaining waterfowl during the season.

• Whether to maintain or remove restrictions on spinning-winged duck decoys. The MWA supports removing the restrictions.