Meeting will address proposed changes to Ashby Goose Refuge

Talk about it

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public hearing on the proposed modification of the boundary of the Ashby Goose Refuge.

It will take place Thursday, September 25 at 7 p.m. at the Ashby Public School Cafeteria, 300 Birch Avenue.

The hearing is precipitated by a petition, which was circulated by local citizens and delivered to the local DNR Wildlife office, requesting vacation of a portion of the refuge.

The petition, which includes some 60 signatures of Grant County residents, cites landowners’ desire to hunt geese within the existing Ashby goose refuge.

The Ashby Goose Refuge was created in 1971 to help re-establish Giant Canada Geese and afford protection for geese during the fall hunting season.

Now, with higher geese populations, some landowners within the refuge would like to be able to hunt geese on their own property.

The petition proposes to reduce the size of the refuge, not eliminate it. The wetlands most important to geese are included within the new refuge boundaries proposed in the petition.

All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing to voice their opinion or present testimony on the proposed boundary modification.

Those unable to attend may submit written comments to Kevin Kotts, Area Wildlife Supervisor, 23070 North Lakeshore Dr., Glenwood, MN 56334 or kevin.kotts@dnr.state.mn.us.

Tags: ashby, goose, refuge