In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management.
DNR webinars cover turkey calling techniques,
trout stream easements
Contact: Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator, 651-259-5178.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in fishing, wildlife and outdoor skills to tune in to upcoming webinars that feature discussions about turkey calling techniques and trout stream easements that improve angling access.
The first webinar is Wednesday, April 5. With turkey season right around the corner, DNR staff will discuss calling techniques, types of turkey calls and tips to get that shy gobbler to approach while hunting.
The second webinar is Wednesday, April 12. The DNR has established more than 500 miles of public fishing easements along trout streams. Dusty Hoffman, DNR stream habitat specialist, will discuss how to find angling easements and properly use easements on some of Minnesota’s best trout streams. Learn about some habitat improvement projects completed on easements and how those projects enhance angling opportunities.
The webinars are part of the DNR’s Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series. The webinars are free, but registration is required. More information is available on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/discover).
Video shows how to handle flathead catfish, other large fish
Contact: Tony Sindt, Minnesota River specialist, 320-753-0333.
A video by the DNR aims to educate anglers about how to properly handle large fish during catch-and-release.
Being properly equipped and understanding how to handle a large fish is critical to ensuring the fish’s survival after release. The video covers the proper equipment for large fish, minimizing the time the fish is out of the water, protecting the fish’s slime coating, holding the large fish horizontally and supporting the fish’s body, and how to release the fish.
The flathead catfish fishing season began April 1. Additionally, seasons are around the corner for other large fish like lake sturgeon, muskellunge, northern pike, steelhead and others.
The video can be found on the DNR’s catch and release page (mndnr.gov/fish/catchandrelease.html).
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Contact: Eric Pelto, Parks and Trails Division special programs coordinator, 651-259-5577, Sara Berhow, Parks and Trails Division public relations supervisor, 651-259-5627;
Registration for the 2023 I Can! programs begins Monday, April 3.
I Can! is an award-winning series of outdoor programs that helps beginners of all ages and backgrounds learn new outdoor skills in a beautiful state park or recreation area setting. Programs begin the first weekend in June and continue through the end of August. They include:
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I Can Camp! – These programs provide hands-on instruction on setting up camp, starting a campfire, camp cooking and fun outdoor activities. All gear is provided, including the tent, air mattresses, cooking gear and other basic camping equipment. One-night, two-night, and backpacking sessions are offered.
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I Can Paddle! – These programs teach the basics of canoeing or kayaking, including launching, paddling efficiently, and planning a safe outing. These programs are designed for first-time paddlers and equipment is provided. Two-hour canoe or kayak programs, river day trips, sea kayaking, and overnight canoe camping programs are available.
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I Can Mountain Bike! – This program teaches mountain bike riding techniques at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, Minnesota’s world class mountain bike park.
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I Can Fish! – These hands-on programs teach all of the basics, from fish identification to casting.
“We provide all the gear along with friendly and knowledgeable instructors,” said Ann Pierce, director of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s Parks and Trails Division. “Not everyone grows up learning outdoor skills, and for some, lack of experience, equipment or skills can be a barrier to trying new outdoor activities. Our goal is to remove that barrier and make it easy for all Minnesotans to connect to the outdoors, feeling prepared and safe.”
Registration and more information
For more information about any of the programs—including program dates, times, locations, and minimum age requirements—visit the I Can! page (mndnr.gov/ican) or contact the DNR Information Center at [email protected] or 888-646-6367 (8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday).
To register for I Can! programs, visit the DNR’s reservation page (mndnr.gov/reservations) or register by phone at 866-857-2757 (8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, except holidays).
Since 2010, more than 100,000 people have participated in I Can! programs. The DNR’s I Can! program series is made possible with funding from the Parks and Trails Fund, created after voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in 2008. The Parks and Trails Fund receives 14.25 percent of the Legacy Amendment’s three-eighths percent sales tax, and revenue to the Fund may only be spent to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance.
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Contact: Dan Stark, DNR large carnivore specialist, 218-328-8871.
Deadline is Friday, May 5
Prospective bear hunters have until Friday, May 5, to apply for a bear hunting license from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Applications for the 2023 season can be submitted online, at any license agent or by telephone at 888-665-4236.
A total of 4,035 licenses are available in 14 permit areas for the season, which opens Friday, Sept. 1, and closes Sunday, Oct. 15.
The number of permits available each year in the quota zone is based on Minnesota’s bear population, which has stabilized and started to increase during the past 10 years, in part because of recent conservative permit quotas. Populations in most bear permit areas are stable to increasing, and the total number of permits has increased by 430 from last season. The exceptions are in several permit areas in northern Minnesota, which will see permit reductions in efforts to stabilize populations in those areas.
Lottery winners will be notified by Thursday, June 1. The deadline to purchase bear hunting licenses awarded by lottery is Tuesday, Aug. 1. Any remaining unpurchased licenses will be available over the counter starting at noon Friday, Aug. 4.
An unlimited number of bear licenses also will be sold over the counter for the no-quota area that includes east-central and far northwestern Minnesota. No-quota licenses are valid only in the no-quota area.
Hunters with either a quota or no-quota license who are interested in taking a problem bear should contact the area DNR wildlife manager (mndnr.gov/areas/wildlife) to be added to the hunter contact list for any opportunities that may arise.
Complete instructions about how to apply for a license, maps of permit areas and a listing of permit availability for each area are available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/hunting/bear).
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As ice comes off southern Minnesota lakes, evidence of this year’s harsh winter is washing up along the shorelines on some shallow lakes. While dead and dying fish washing ashore in spring can be discouraging to see, it’s the result of a process called “winterkill,” according to biologists with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
“Shallow lakes like we have in southern Minnesota are most susceptible,” said Craig Soupir, Waterville area fisheries supervisor. “Winterkill happens because the amount of dissolved oxygen available to fish becomes too low.”
Low oxygen environments are created when sunlight is no longer able to penetrate the ice, causing oxygen-producing plants to die and generate higher levels of carbon dioxide as they decompose. Winterkill can actually benefit a lake, according to Soupir.
“In lakes with high numbers of common carp, for example, periodic winterkill can thin out their numbers and allow desirable fish species to fill the void,” Soupir said. “It can also improve water clarity and increase aquatic vegetation.”
Soupir said populations of game fish can sometimes rebound quite dramatically in years following winterkill. Improved survival of young fish and increased growth rates for both young and adult fish can combine to create significantly improved angling opportunities.
It is not unusual for lakes in southern Minnesota to experience some winterkill on an annual basis. However, the severity of winterkill varies greatly depending on factors such as depth of snow and length of time it covers the ice, lake depths, water inflows and the rate at which oxygen drops over time. Most often, winterkill events on these shallow basins are partial and rarely do all fish in a lake die.
The fishery in some lakes is specifically managed around winterkill; these lakes are known as “boom and bust” lakes and may have winterkill every four or five years. If stocked, fish in these shallow lakes typically have high survival rates, grow rapidly and can provide great angling.
While some larger and deeper lakes in southern Minnesota have aeration systems installed to reduce the probability of winterkill effects, aerated lakes can still be susceptible to winterkill. Research shows aerating very shallow lakes often does not work well for maintaining a fishery though harsh winters.
To report fish die-offs including winterkill, people should call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 (the officer line is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week). An early report allows timely water and fish sampling or other response actions, if needed. It’s especially helpful to know what sizes and types of fish people see in a fish die-off.
Follow-up stocking of fish may ensue after a winterkill event, if consistent with DNR lake-specific management plans. For more information, contact a local DNR area fisheries office (mndnr.gov/areas/fisheries).
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