DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac

A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management.

Stream trout fishing opens in streams statewide April 15

Minnesota?s popular stream trout season opens Saturday, April 15 with quality fishing opportunities in every region of the state. Brook trout and splake fishing also open April 15 on Lake Superior and its tributary streams.

Trout anglers can find information on Minnesota?s trout streams and lakes on DNR?s website (mndnr.gov/fishing/trout). Anglers will find helpful learning guides and fishing tips tailored to each of Minnesota?s six trout fishing regions. Anglers can also access StreamFinder (mndnr.gov/fishing/trout/map.html) which provides anglers with a description, species list, regulations and access information for trout streams throughout Minnesota, and is modeled after the DNR?s popular LakeFinder tool.

Minnesota has roughly 3,800 miles of designated trout streams. Anglers fishing on designated trout waters must have a trout stamp validation in addition to an angling license. Complete trout season details are available at the DNR?s fishing page (mndnr.gov/fishing).

Spring turkey hunting begins April 12

Minnesota turkey hunting begins this week, with opportunities available from Wednesday, April 12, through Wednesday, May 31. The season is divided into six hunt periods, A through F.

A spring turkey license will provide the opportunity to hunt all permit areas in the state, with the exception of three major wildlife management areas during some of the early hunt periods. Permits to hunt the popular Carlos Avery and Mille Lacs wildlife management areas in the A-C time periods, and Whitewater WMA in the A-B time periods,?were distributed already by lottery for firearms hunters 18 and older. The lottery application deadline was Feb. 17 and results are available on the turkey hunting page (mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey) of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Firearms hunters ages 18 and older must choose their hunt period when they purchase a license. All firearms turkey hunters can participate in Hunt F if they have an unused tag from one of the earlier hunt periods. Archery-only license holders may hunt statewide for the entire season (April 12-May 31). Hunters cannot purchase both a firearms and archery-only license. Licensed hunters ages 17 and younger may hunt statewide for the entire season (April 12-May 31) with firearms or archery equipment, including in Carlos Avery and Mille Lacs WMAs in the A-C time periods, and Whitewater WMA in the A-B time periods.

More information about turkey hunting in Minnesota can be found on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey). Hunters concerned about avian influenza and wild turkeys can find more information about safe handling practices (aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf) and the outbreak on the DNR avian influenza page?(mndnr.gov/ai).

2023 spring turkey season dates:

• A - April 12-18
• B - April 19-25
• C - April 26-May 2
• D - May 3-9
• E - May 10-16
• F - May 17-31
• Youth season - April 12-May 31
• Archery season - April 12-May 31

Renew watercraft registration early, use online renewal

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages boat owners to renew expired watercraft registrations before this year?s boating season.

Boater owners are encouraged to renew registrations online (mndnr.gov/licenses/online-sales.html) or at a local deputy registrar?s office rather than by mail. People renewing online can print out the confirmation page to use as their temporary permit. Boaters also may write down their temporary authorization number from the confirmation page. The registration card and expiration decals will then be mailed to the boat owner.

To renew online, visit the DNR's online license sales page (mndnr.gov/licenses/online-sales.html), click on ?Get Started? and follow the prompts. To renew in person, visit a deputy registrar.?Deputy registrar locations are available on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety website (dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/locations/pages/find-office-locations.aspx#search=registrar). People can also renew in person at the DNR Central Office, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul.

DNR webinars cover trout stream easements, peregrine falcons

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 trout stream easements that improve angling access, and peregrine falcons.

The first 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 second webinar is Wednesday, April 19. Jackie Fallon, a wildlife biologist, master falconer, and educator for more than 30 years, will discuss what is being done in Minnesota to help peregrine falcons and what we have discovered about them after 40 years of research.

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).

###