Exploring Minnesota’s winter wildlife
The Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Club embraces the weather to provide students with unforgettable experiences.
February 19, 2025
By Henry Parks, BS ‘25, Environmental Science, Policy, and Management & Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Winter can be a time to hunker down inside and escape the cold and the snow. However, the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (FWCB) Club took the opposite approach, and encouraged members to get outside in the coldest part of the year to take part in two winter wildlife excursions. Club members got the chance to head up to northern Minnesota and assist U.S. Forest Service - Superior National Forest with lynx tracking, and visited the ever-famous Sax Zim Bog for birdwatching in January. Here, we detail the outcomes of these experiences and discuss the value of getting outside, even during the challenging parts of the year.
Tracking lynx with the U.S. Forest Service
Since 2017, the FWCB Club has annually provided the opportunity for undergraduate students to travel to Ely and Grand Marais in northern Minnesota to work directly with the U.S. Forest Service-Superior National Forest. In this area, a substantial project studying Canada lynx is underway, and CFANS students got first hands experience working with wildlife biologists on the project.
Over the past ten years, the lynx population in Minnesota has remained stable or possibly increased. However, as a species that relies on coniferous forests and snowy winters, climate change may change the status of this population. A detailed 10-year summary report from project biologists provides further insights into the lynx population trends.
Students rode along with Superior National Forest staff and aid in tracking and data collection efforts. Finding lynx revolves around finding their tracks, so having students on board helps everybody find more samples and follow more tracks. Wildlife biologist Dan Ryan described the experience of working with FWCB club students: “Measurable benefits are allowing us to collect more DNA over a two-week period than we could with our own people. It also gives us a good reason to focus for two weeks on lynx surveys and DNA collection, and let some of our office work go for this time.”
While in the field, students learn how to identify Minnesota wildlife from tracks and scat alone, use handheld GPS units, and systematically collect and store DNA samples. They also learn orienteering concepts for densely forested landscapes and how to endure fieldwork in difficult winter conditions.
“Career-building events like this allows us to see what different possible career paths may look like. It also teaches you a lot about your skills and abilities," said club member Isadora McGinley Meyers. "Before lynx tracking, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to handle this very physically intense fieldwork, but I gained so much confidence from this opportunity and can now tell myself that I can do hard things like this!”
Observing birds in Sax-Zim Bog
Across the state, Sax-Zim Bog is known as the place to go for winter birdwatching. As a bog in a matrix of other habitats including deciduous forests, coniferous forests, meadows, and human areas, it attracts numerous rare species such as Great Gray Owls, Black-backed Woodpeckers, Boreal Chickadees, Canada Jays, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, and Connecticut Warblers. This year, 2025, is a great time to visit as it is an irruption year for Great Gray and Boreal Owls, in which changes in prey populations allow for a respective increase in new owl chicks born and migrating south. This means a sudden increase in owl sightings and a hoard of birders headed up to the bog.
FWCB Club went up for a primer on winter birding with hopes of seeing some of these owls. Among the Great Gray Owls, club members also got to see Canada Jays, Ruffed Grouse, Boreal Owls, Pine Grosbeaks, White-winged Crossbills, Common Redpolls, Boreal Chickadees, and even a snowshoe hare, which isn’t found in the Twin Cities. For many students, this was their first time birdwatching in a setting like this, and they got a chance to learn more about the hobby from experts in the club. Even recreational birding in the winter is a challenge and club members learned how to prepare and carry themselves for long days in the cold. They also learned about the universal Minnesotan experience of helping folks push their cars out of deep snow.
“For a lot of students, this was their first time seeing many of these birds," said Sandy Liu, FWCB Club ornithology officer. "Getting to spend time with them and explore the area without being time-constrained was a special and unique experience. It was cool to be a part of the birding community and spend time with people with the same interests as us!”
In a twist of fate, the FWCB Club had a chance encounter with the University of Minnesota Duluth Bird Club who happened to be visiting Sax-Zim at the same time. This meeting was a great opportunity for students to get to know each other across campuses, united by a common interest in birds! Getting to connect with fellow students, community birders, and the amazing wildlife at Sax-Zim was a highlight of FWCB Club’s year and we look forward to returning soon.
A season of exceptional experiences
Getting outside and having closer encounters with some of Minnesota’s most important wildlife illustrates the value of still spending time outdoors despite the weather. Creating opportunities for students to stay engaged with wildlife conservation is essential to creating qualified and passionate professionals entering the workforce. It also presents a natural opportunity to build community and push yourself during the most isolating part of the year.
“Having the FWCB Club as an outlet for recreational and wildlife-related experiences has been a pivotal part of being able to get outside and do cool stuff for me in college," said club member Maria Krausmann. "A lot of students don't have the resources to plan weekend trips like this, so having a student group that can help plan and fund these expeditions makes them possible! I feel very thankful to be part of a group that provides so many students with these exceptional experiences,”
FWCB Club is excited to make these opportunities available to students and hopes to continue this in the coming years. Both of these events were made possible through financial support through Student Unions and Activities Coca-Cola development grants.
