Big Turtle Lake
For many years Big Turtle Lake has been the sole nesting area for the endangered whooter. They were first introduced into Minnesota by the French trappers as they worked their way across the continent in search of beaver pelts to satisfy the fashion cravings of the Europeans. Whooters were used to locate prime trapping areas and could double the income of the owner. When the fashion craze ended so did the need for the whooter. By the mid nineteen hundreds they had been hunted to the point of extinction and the specie was thought to have went the way of the dinosaurs.
In the late 1930's two surviving adult whooters were spotted on a small lake north of Bemidji, Minnesota. They were soon captured and confined to the Bemidji Public Zoo in hopes of successfully breeding them. This attempt ended in a dismal failure and it was determined to release the captured pair back into the wilderness to let nature work it’s miracle. An ongoing scientific study has recently received a grant from stimulus funds to rediscover their existance and learn more about the feeding habits of this creature. Any photos would be appreciated along with observations.
