🦇Bat Facts, Shotgun Shells, 🍂🎣Small Wa ter Angling & Tips for Key Stand Locations

Molly Carlin from Minnesota won the 2026 MN DNR Commissioner's 4-H Youth Award for her 4-H project focused on bats!
It started when Molly learned several bats living at Oxbow Park would benefit from a new habitat. Molly researched the importance of bats in our ecosystem and learned that a Minnesota bat can eat up to 1,500 mosquito-sized insects in one night. She also researched how to build a proper bat box to shelter bats and then built and donated two bat boxes to Oxbow County Park.
Molly’s project highlighted white-nose syndrome, the most significant threat to Minnesota bats. White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that thrives in cold, humid environments where cave-hibernating bats spend the winter. Not only did Molly work with her local county park on this project, but she also engaged with Rochester, MN Public Utilities. The utility company is hanging the bat boxes on two 30-foot telephone poles, which were donated to the project. Molly’s project grew into a true partnership between herself, Oxbow Park and Rochester Public Utilities.

FALL FISHING ON SMALL LAKES
Take advantage of hungry walleye in those smaller, shallow lakes for some great fall fishing action!
Unlike big water that requires a boat, small lakes are also easier to work since these fish have fewer areas to roam.
Structure can be minimal on these smaller lakes, which means you need to key on shorelines, remaining weed edges, and small flats or bars. Their dinner - in the way of minnows, dime-size panfish, and even migrating frogs - provides a smorgasbord of food along shallow shoreline breaks or weedlines, and walleyes are there taking advantage of it all.
Cast into channels, current areas, bridges, and even docks because they might hold walleyes, especially during low-light periods

We were sure disappointed to read in Outdoor News about another person caught cheating in the competitive bass fishing tournament circles - sadly that guy had 14 live largemouth bass stashed in his boat's livewell before the competition! Story from Outdoor News here

But we are proud to see JPT members like Gunnar and Jack making the effort to preserve resources by practicing ethical catch and release bass fishing! Learn how to practice catch and release fishing properly HERE