This has to do with local duck hunting and whether the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is doing as good as a job as it might be producing a plentiful crop of waterfowl. In years gone by many of the lakes on the edge of Albert Lea and surrounding it had been signed “Game refuge, no hunting allowed.”

Today I’m not aware that there are any signed lakes around our fair city and shooting seems to be going on all around town with the exception of the main body of Fountain Lake and Albert Lea Lake.

It may be that some research has been done that indicates that game refuges don’t help the waterfowl population. If this isn’t the case, it would seem that everyone (including the duck hunters) would favor the designation of some lakes as “refuges.” All it would require would be the placement of some “No Hunting” signs. Enforcement would be easy. In what other crime does the criminal need to make a very loud noise at the moment he’s committing the crime?

A closely related problem has to do with pheasants. Northwest of town as far as the former Wedge Nursery area, you could hear a single cock pheasant crow this spring. You can’t hear that anymore.

Is the DNR doing its job?

 George Ehrhardt

Albert Lea