CEO of Red Wing Boots blocks fisherman's access

[PTC]

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/3567020.htm

Please read this article. In summary the CEO of Redwing Boots is the president of a landowners association. As president of the association he has used gates to block off a portion of the St Croix River for their private use.

Why should sportsmen buy their boots when they treat us like this!

[PTC]

Additional note:

If you want to do something about it, you can write molly.Shodeen@dnr.state.mn.us
Molly is the hydologist for this area of water in Minnesota. Or you can write Red Wing at: customer.service@redwingshoes.com

[REW]

All lakes and rivers in the us are public domain.
Private land - can block egress and entrance to a lake or river - but once on a river or lake - portions can't be blocked off.

At least that is what one federal lawyer told me many years ago.

take care
REW

[Leechboy]

The Riparian rights act would be the applying law, but issues of specific fact would determine if this particular gate is legal or not. I suppose they would look to see if it is a natural harbor as opposed to one created by the land association, and things like that. It would be a shame if the DNR backed down from the fight to avoid litigation costs, but thats the way of the world. Do you mean that people with alot of money get to play by different rules than the rest of us? My bubble (or is it Hymen?) is broken!!-lb

[Bad Finger]

This particular harbor was not created by the association. Current Minnesota law prohibits blocking access to public water.

Pretty much a Black and White situation.

I wish that article focused more on a Mis-Managed or Corrupt DNR rather than a pissed off fisherman! How could the department let us fishermen down like this?

[Backwater Eddy]

Restrictions such as this to rivers for fisherman and nonfisherman alike have become more and more common in ND as well as other states.

Development is squeezing public access to fewer points and those points are low priority for upgrades of ramps and facilities by the state. People start to look for better areas to access and to fish due to loss of access, a very understandable trend.

Outdoors enthusiast are becoming frustrated and discouraged with the loss of access to the general public, while private interests have the legal power to slam the gates a bit tighter all the time.

Backwater Eddy...><sUMo>

[WAZ]

You guys are all missing it. The gate should be used to keep the jerks in the harbor. Put a lock on it and let them smoke their $100 Cuban cigars in the harbor. I volunteer to pay for the lock.

[trophy]

After reading this post I sent an E-mail to Red Wing stating I would no longer buy any work boots, hunting boots, or waders as long as Mr. Sweasey the C.E.O. is involved in this contoversy. Red Wing depends a great deal on the outdoor/sportsman market and I encourage all outdoor enthusiests to no longer buy Red Wing. To put it bluntly, We put him that fancy house, on that piece of water. We may not be able to take him out of the house but Red Wing will not let it's sales base dwindle either. They may put pressure on him to step aside on this issue to keep the company from taking negative press.

[PTC]

Bump

[Bob G2]

This has been common occurance in "The Land of Lincoln". Anglers are prohibited from fishing many harbors here, especially in the Chicago area. Access has been increasingly curtailed, both by the private sector, and municipal/state governments. While shore access angling is the most logical target, in Illinois, even non-anchored boat fishermen are prohibited from fishing inside harbors.

Thus, waters being public domain is a travesty here in Illinois.

[Cangl]

IIII MMEEE MMIINNNEE, is it true all corporate CEO'S flunked
pre school? Seem as though. Problem is the jerk can not tolerate the public but he will TAKE THEIR MONEY that's for sure. Seems as though that gate ought to have every pair of redwing boots us fisherman have purchased hanging on it. Could not think of a better way to wake up that jerk. Switching brands hhmmm... Hang his boots on his gate, their no longer "ours". Would be a great thing to do, is there anywhere we us Michiganders can send them to so as we can put out our "trash" also??

[Leechboy]

I don't think the DNR is necessarily corrupt on this one. But all of these public agencies are afraid of the negative publicity that they will attract if they get into a confrontation with private citizens. So they try to please everyone and end up pleasing no one. This is an issue they should stand their ground on, and the only way to do that is to bring it to the courts and let them rule on water rights in Minnesota. I guess the start of the solution is to get the name of the commissioner of resources and email or contact them. Does anyone know who is the high ranking official for the MNDNR?

[Bad Finger]

You should continue to contact molly.Shodeen@dnr.state.mn.us But you can cc the comissioner allen.garber@dnr.state.mn.us

or call:

Allen Garber, Commissioner
Phone: (651) 296-2549

[Ristorapper]

I quit buying Red Wing boots 13 years ago. I visited the store back then and it is in a very limited parking area in our town. So I parked very near the intersection so I could shop and get in and out.

Anyway the manager notices my vehicle getting a parking ticket and he commented that he better move his car (parked just in front of mine in front of the store) again before he gets ticketed. I thought if he was up on keeping the "prime" parking spot instead of leaving it for his customers, I'd never be back; and haven't.

BW(ND)

[MIFISH]

Wait a minute here guys, somebody is missing the point. If your house was on a lake or a river why should you have to let the public use your driveway to get to the lake? What needs to happen here is the goverment needs to take some taxpayer money and buy some land to make a boat launch and PUBLIC access and parking facility just as this guy did for HIMSELF. Some body in goverment slipped up and dropped the ball by not providing the Public with access to a public waterway. Because this man or association purchased some land legally and messed up the public's access is not the fault of this man's LEGAL purchase. NO court in the world will make a PRIVATE landowner provide access and launch facilities for the general public wanting to gain access to a public waterway. Regardless of what this man does for a living in a non-issue. Think about his land rights and how the goverment FAILED you before you boycott the guy's product. I know I sure wouldn't want 43,000 people littering my property with trash, bait containers and beverage bottles. A private landowner OWES the public NO access to anything. IT'S HIS property and he can limit or totally restrict access the same way you would want to do with your land. This is a excellent example how the goveremnt fails the public in providing public access to popular waterways.

[Mahumba]

Hi MiFish,

I read the post and the article. I noticed that you said that some people missed the point.

The gate is OVER the River not blocking a launch. It's to block unwanted boats moving into the harbor.

Anyways that's what I got from it.

Roger Mayer.

[MIFISH]

IF that's the case, he is blocking legal navigation of a public waterway. I understood it as a land access situation.

[Backwater Eddy]

I betch ya 30-40 pairs of RED WING boots hung on the gate would get his attention faster then more paperwork ever would? Make for a good picture in the Trib too eh?

;)

After he seen them boots salute him a couple of times on his way in and out it would get under his skin...just a tiny bit...I rekon?

;)

Backwater Eddy...><sUMo>

[BigBass]

MIFish~

Ya, their gate is in and over the water to restrict access to what they believe it THEIR HARBOR. I don't think anyone would have an issue if they just blocked their private boat launch. But you can't limit access to public waters....

Rich people think in small circles -- about 2' around themselves!


Big-Bass

[The Great Guide]

I'm kind of on the fence on this one. The owners of the property say they have had thefts and vandalism. The papers reported reported that there is a button to open the gate. However, I also think that this is one more stipulation to where I can and can't go.

I also get pissed off when some people bash those who have done well for themselves. You don't know what personal sacrifices they made and are making to achieve and maintain their sucess I wonder if those of you who are calling for a boycott of Red Wing products would shut your power off if the CEO of the power or gas company lived there.

Anyway, I am sure the DNR is well aware of the issues surrounding their decision and will now be forced to create clear cut guidelines to deal with this issue.

TGG

[Cangl]

Vandalism and theft? What planet does not suffer those cancers? Most of them I guess? Well as for all of us on planet earth, and in this country the theft from the public should not be tolerated. Let the jerk buy insurance like the rest of us. To do well for ones self?, to benefit ones self over the public? this creep is more dangerous then any theive and we had better wake up to it. Doing well? It's theft and a large dose selfishness.
Hang those things on his gate. ;) <+)----><{