The river, wooded bottomlands, and prairie provided the Dakota with abundant game and furs. They fished in the river, hunted small game in the forests along its banks, trapped beaver and muskrat for their furs, and hunted bison on the prairie for meat, bones to make tools, and skins to make robes. Since the 1950s, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has managed lands along the Minnesota River to provide good habitats for birds and other wildlife. Bird watchers come to see eagles, pelicans, and many other birds above the river, and the area is a particular favorite of Canada geese. For several weeks in the fall, as many as 150,000 geese may be in residence at Lac qui Parle.