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I discovered just recently that the May Township Board in Washington County MN is holding a public hearing on whether or not to block access to a public body of water from a public right a way. Stillwater is the county seat of Washington County. Specifically they want to stop you, hunters or fisherman from using Carnelian Creek to access Turtle Lake. This was brought to the attention of the May Township Board by the Carnelian-Marine St Croix Watershed District. When I talked with Jim Shaver, Administrator of the Watershed district, he said that the property owners that surround this creek and lake contacted him about hunting activity and potential trespassing on private property. The owners are also concerned about their animals that they have and dog trials that they hold on the property. Jim Shaver also told me that the Watershed District is concerned that if someone got hurt using that waterway, that the Watershed District would be liable because the Watershed District improved the creek so that the water would drain from Big Marine Lake through this creek, eventually ending up at the St. Croix River. I do not believe that the Watershed District has any liability. Jim Shaver said they then went to the Township Board with their concerns and the town board drafted an ordinance blocking access from a public right a way to a public water way. I spoke with Bill Voedisch who is the May Township Chairman and he told me basically the same thing plus that the Watershed District is concerned about damage to a structure that is in the creek. The public water is Carnelian Creek that flows out of Big Marine Lake into Turtle Lake. The location would be in May Township of Washington County. This is on 155th Street North just east of Manning Ave North. Manning Ave North runs north of Hwy 36. 155th Street is approximate 5 1/2 miles north of Hwy 36. So, May Township is having a public hearing on March 1st at 7 PM at town hall, 13939 Norell Avenue North, Stillwater MN. If you can make the meeting and make your thoughts known that would be great. I can not be there as I will be out of town but the Township Supervisor told me that I could submit a letter expressing my concerns and it will be include. So if you can be there come, if you can't, you can submit a letter by email. Below is the contact info for the Chairman and the other two Supervisors. May Township Board Chairman, Bill Voedisch-Chair, 651-433-5976, [email protected] John Pazlar-Supervisor, 651-433-5013, [email protected] John Adams-Supervisor, 651-430-8134, [email protected] Here is the contact info for the Administrator of the Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District and website. http://www.cmscwd.org/ Administrator: Jim Shaver Phone: (651) 433-2150 Thanks for your help.

9/24/18 Hunted a shallow, public lake on opening day with my Dad and two friends. Hunted the same lake on Sunday with my Dad and my son Parker, on his first duck hunt at age 6. Saturday the four of us hunted from two boats. Beautiful morning. Unfortunately, most of the hunters within earshot of us started shooting well before shooting time--some fourteen minutes early. Shame on those people. We passed up on teal, shovelers, and wood ducks in the decoys before shooting time, as the law and ethics demand. We saw a lot of ducks, were buzzed and burned by many, and managed to harvest three wood ducks, two ringnecks, a shoveler, and a greenwing teal. Sunday three generations of Smutkas had teal buzzing through the decoys all morning. Lots of excitement for 6 year old Parker. We harvested four bluewings and two greenwings. Good luck, and I will see you out there somewhere.

10/11/16 Central MN Decent first three weekends of the waterfowl season in central MN. Been water hunting only so far, on permanent water. Ducks are dispersed with all the temporary flood water around from all the rain. Crops are slowly coming out, will probably be behind schedule due to wet conditions. We have harvested mallards, wood ducks, BWT, GWT, shovelers, pintails, redheads, ringnecks, ruddy ducks,and Canada geese so far. Locals the first two weekends, but the cold front last week move a lot of local ducks out and a few new birds moved in out of ND and Canada. Good luck, and I will see you out there somewhere.