Minnesota
Meet the Minnesota DNR that tracks fawns for survival study
Meet the Minnesota DNR that tracks fawns
At 4:32 a.m. at the Minnesota DNR’s Farmland Wildlife Research Headquarters; wildlife biologist Tyler Obermoller is leading his DNR team for the third year of a fawn survival study. For fourteen days in row, the group is gathering before dawn.
(FOX 9) – At 4:32 a.m. at the Minnesota DNR’s Farmland Wildlife Research Headquarters; wildlife biologist Tyler Obermoller is leading his DNR team for the third year of a fawn survival study. For fourteen days in row, the group is gathering before dawn.
“We are dealing with some weather issues, so we are kind of delayed right now,” says Obermoller. “If the sun is shining, we’ll be done by 8:30-9 o’clock.
Once the skies clear barely an hour later, the drone heads up. Using thermal imaging technology the team can spot and zoom in on animals in their natural habitat, without disturbing them.
‘This is what the camera looks like from 200 feet. You would never see anything,” says Steve Fines of Fines Aerial Imaging. “Without the thermal imaging to pick it up, you wouldn’t have a chance.”
Once a fawn is spotted, coordinates are shared with the capture crew, and we’re off on the first quiet quest to go find it.
“You can see where the drone is at, so the fawn is just right over there,” says Obermoller.
Trying to reduce the trauma to the fawn, the team works as quickly as possible. Drawing blood, measuring hoof growth, length, weight, and most importantly placing a GPS collar on the fawn which can record tracking information and grow with the young fawn’s size for up to 18 months. A study such as this hasn’t been done by the DNR in the southern farmland region of the state in more than 20 years.
Since then the landscape has changed quite a bit,” says Obermoller. “Coyote density has increased quite a bit, so really we’re just trying to get an idea of what survival is on the landscape, and that can help us manage, whether it’s manager for habitat or manage the number of tags we are allocating to deer each season.”
Within five minutes, he’s on his own again. With adrenaline still pumping the next fawn is just 100 feet away.
“Right there got it!”
Obermoller and team have been repeating this early morning adventure of finding fawns every day since May 22 with a goal of finding 100 fawns to complete the study. It’s critical to find the fawns as soon after they are born as possible because even at 7 days old, these four-legged friends would outrun everyone here.
“We put a flag down there, and we’ll go back one to three days later to do some habitat measurements and that’s an indication. did they pick a good site? especially if later on they happen to be preyed upon by coyotes, then it’s ok maybe they didn’t pick a great location.
After meeting the fawn, the team will get a text and email if the collar goes silent for eight hours indicating the fawn has died or been killed. Either way, the Minnesota DNR will learn from all of it and better gauge the deer population’s current mortality rates.
“We want these collars to stay on at least 12 months,” says Obermoller. “So we can get that migration information in the winter and dispersal information in the springtime.”
Before our day was done the capture crew added collars to a set of twins and look forward to the information their new necklace will help provide, potentially for years to come.
“It’s amazing, it doesn’t lose its luster every time,” says Obermoller. “I’ve been doing this for three years and every time we go in on a fawn it’s amazing and a lot of fun.”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has reached a settlement with the state attorney general over concerns the Eagan-based health insurer failed to comply with laws insisting that health plans cover mental health services the same as they cover treatments for physical health problems.
The Minnesota Blues plan denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to a series of new oversight provisions. In addition, the insurer will operate under new mental and behavioral health care rules that call for prompt decisions on prior authorization requests as well as applications by health care providers to join the health insurer’s network.
Blue Cross will be required to pay a $300,000 civil penalty if a court finds the insurer has violated terms of the settlement, which was announced Friday. In addition, Blue Cross is contributing $600,000 to a center for rural behavioral health at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
“Mental and behavioral health care is health care, period,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement. “We expect someone with a broken leg to be able to get the care they need, and the same should be true of Minnesotans struggling with conditions like depression or substance use disorder.”
Blue Cross said in a statement that it shares Ellison’s commitment to ensuring patients have timely access to “high quality and affordable mental health care.”
“Blue Cross has enhanced our practices related to addressing mental health benefits and access to care to ensure we are meeting the high expectations of members and other stakeholders,” the insurer said. “Today, our strategy is focused on transforming all mental health solutions in ways that can set new industry standards for equitable access to optimal care.”
The settlement is the latest in a series of agreements over the past 18 months between the state and Minnesota health insurers for improved coverage of mental health.
The earlier agreements were prompted by alleged violations of mental health parity laws, which have been adopted over the past two decades to improve patient access to mental health and behavioral health treatments.
The Vikings have lost back-to-back games after starting 5-0. Now they will turn to Cam Robinson, 29, to help protect quarterback Sam Darnold’s blindside after losing standout LT Christian Darrisaw to a torn ACL and MCL. Can they get a win this week against a Colts team that has benched Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco?
Week 9 vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT (NBC)
Catch up on what you need to know from this week on the Vikings:
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The Vikings addressed their massive void at left tackle by trading for Jaguars offensive lineman Cam Robinson.
• Vikings not sweating rookie’s quiet start
“I think Dallas (Turner) is going to be just fine. I think everybody wants everything right now, and he does, too. We’ll get him out there.”
• Meet the former Vikings visionary known as the grandfather of NFL analytics
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• 📈Power Rankings: Vikings at No. 8
The No. 17 pick in this year’s draft has one sack and three quarterback pressures through seven games.
Coach O’Connell speaks about new LT Cam Robinson pic.twitter.com/hVymPdY6vo
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 30, 2024
Scouting the Colts
• Joe Flacco will be Colts starting QB ‘going forward’
The decision to bench Anthony Richardson and start Joe Flacco at quarterback is not a temporary one, coach Shane Steichen said.
• Anthony Richardson has hard lesson to learn from the bench
Richardson’s time in Indianapolis may not be over, but his path back to being the Colts starting QB will be a big challenge.
• NFL execs debate Colts benching Richardson
“He hasn’t had many live reps in his football career. This season should have been presented as that development and growth across the board.”
• Richardson’s benching goes far beyond his play
“What a fascinating management dilemma to be in,” a former executive from one of the Colts’ division rivals said.
• Colts GM Chris Ballard has failed to live up to bold promises
Technically, Ballard still has personnel control in Indy, but the chances of him fulfilling the promise proclaimed by his owner are dwindling by the day.
How good are the Vikings?
Check out Austin Mock’s 2024 NFL projections, where you will find each team’s probability of conquering its division, advancing through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. The projections are based on 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season, which factors in each team’s projected strength, current health as well as its remaining schedule.
(Photo of Justin Jefferson: Harry How / Getty Images)
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — A 19-year-old Minneapolis man has been charged in the shooting of three teens near the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Labor Day.
The man is charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder and two counts of drive-by shooting toward a person, according to the criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County on Oct. 23.
At 10:20 p.m. on Sept. 2, officers were called to Dugsi Academy at 1085 Snelling Avenue North in St. Paul on reports of a shooting.
Upon arrival, officers found a teen boy suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. He told police he had been walking to a friend’s car in the parking lot when he heard gunshots. He said he ran toward the train tracks to escape the gunfire and thought he had blown out his knee, but he quickly learned a bullet had struck him.
The boy told police he did not see who was shooting and had been at the nearby Minnesota State Fair shortly before.
Officers later learned two more teens had been shot and were transported to different area hospitals. The criminal complaint says both victims told police they did not have any issues with anyone and were unsure who would have shot them.
A total of 53 spent casings were found beneath the Snelling Avenue bridge to the east of Dugsi Academy, charges say. An analysis found the casings came from three different guns.
Surveillance video allegedly shows several people exiting a blue sedan before firing their guns from the street and gravel area by nearby train tracks. The suspects then get back into the sedan before leaving the area.
A few hours later, deputies were called to a gas station in Little Canada for a drive-by shooting. Charges say surveillance video showed a blue sedan go out of view shortly before shots rang out. Five more casings from two different guns were recovered from the gas station. Further analysis revealed the casings matched that of those recovered from the shooting near the fairgrounds.
Investigators learned the blue sedan had been involved in a weapons incident on Aug. 27 where three men pulled a gun on security in Minneapolis. The sedan is owned by the man facing charges in the shooting.
Using license plate readers and phone location data, police were able to place the suspect in the area of both shootings around the time they occurred.
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