The Iron Range Resources fish stocking program started a new season on Friday, May 15, 2009, when Larry Ladewig of Stockton Trout Farm of Winona, Minnesota, planted 400 pounds of rainbow trout in the LaRue Pit near Nashwauk.

The program, which began in 1983 to create recreational fishing opportunities, stocks trout within inactive natural iron ore pits across the Mesabi, Vermilion and Cuyuna ranges. Since 1983, 21 mine pits have been stocked under the Iron Range Resources program or by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

During 2009, Iron Range Resources will stock 2,400 pounds of rainbow trout in six mine pits, Lake Ore Be Gone at Gilbert, St. James Pit at Aurora, Mott Pit at Mountain Iron, Kinney Pit in Kinney, Judson Pit in Buhl and the LaRue Pit.

re-posted with permission from Iron Range Resources.

This weekend is the fishing opener in Minnesota. The Iron Range has some of the best lakes for fishing, not to mention mine pit lakes. The mine pit lakes have crystal clear water with high cliffs and best of all, they’re stocked with trout!  Iron Range lakes offer a variety of fish species including northern pike, bass, crappie, muskie and the ever elusive walleye.

Get all of your fishing supplies here at my store, Virginia Surplus. We’re located in downtown Virginia, Minnesota. We have everything you’ll need for the best fishing opener ever, right here on the Iron Range.

Come on up and catch the big one!

Courtesy of the Mesabi Daily News
Virginia, MN

Bullets are Flying off the Shelves

By JESSE WHITE
Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, April 18, 2009 9:33 PM CDT

VIRGINIA -  For Doug Ellis and others in the gun business it’s safe to say business has been good since the Democrats took control of Washington D.C. last November.

The party known for pushing gun control has put a scare into firearms enthusiasts across the country and they are responding with their wallets.

Sales of semi-automatic pistols and rifles have risen nearly 50 percent since the election and retailers are having a hard time keeping certain models �” the AR type “black guns” in particular �” on the shelves.  But all those guns need ammunition and lately, finding it has been a problem.

“There’s a major shortage of ammunition,” Ellis said. “The question isn’t selling, it’s getting.”

Nationwide shortages of some of the most popular caliber’s, including 9mm, .45ACP and .38 special, have retailers scrambling to keep up with demand.

The shelves at a lot of stores are empty and the wait at some of the big box outlets for certain caliber’s can be weeks to months.

According to Ellis, who owns the Virginian Gun Shop at his Virginia Surplus business, there are several reasons ammo is in short supply.

For one, last year the price of the components that go into making ammunition rose dramatically. Copper, brass and lead prices, combined with the high price of energy lead to a shortage, Ellis said.

Then, demand for guns and ammo increased dramatically last fall after Barack Obama, a Democrat, was elected president and the Democrats took control of Congress.

“That’s when the fear started to happen,” Ellis said.

Pro-gun advocates worry a Democratic controlled Congress is going to start introducing legislation to tighten restrictions on certain types of firearms, including semi-automatic handguns and rifles.

Thus, the buying frenzy.

“I probably won’t see this again in my lifetime,” Ellis said. “I saw some of this when (former President Bill) Clinton got elected but back then there were no blogs to fuel the fire.”

Whether people’s fears are legitimate or not, the fact remains that people are buying ammunition in record amounts.

“It’s hard to make sense out of panic and it’s hard to say there’s not validity to some of the panic. There have been a lot of bills introduced. A lot of it is pretty absurd legislation but if they were to get it passed it would be devastating to gun owners,” Ellis said.

In the meantime, gun owners are searching high and low for every box of ammo they can find. For some, especially those who aren’t in a panic and just want a few rounds to take to the shooting range, it can be a frustrating experience.

Ellis said he gets about 10 to 20 people a day in his store looking for ammo.  Some travel from Duluth to International Falls in a day just to get a box or two.

For those who shop at Virginia Surplus, finding ammo has been a little easier.

Ellis said he stocked up before things started to heat up and that he calls his suppliers on a daily basis to check if there is any ammunition to be had.

Currently he has a pretty good selection of some of the harder to find caliber’s including .223 and 7.62 x 39.

“The difference between me and the big box stores is I’ll take the small quantities,” Ellis said. “I’m a guy who will take four boxes of .45’s so I’ve been able to get what others can’t.”

He said other types of ammo aren’t as easy to come by, like .380, and that re-loading components are nearly impossible to get at this point.

And of course with a high demand, the prices at some places have increased dramatically.

Ellis has tried to keep his prices fair and said consumers should be wary of paying too much.

“Buy what you need but don’t over buy because some people might over-charge you. Ammo will be available. It won’t dry up. But at this point it’s hard to get,” Ellis said. “But don’t overpay and stockpile. If you see it, buy it if it is affordable.”

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Jesse White can be reached at jesse.white@mx3.com.