In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management that can be used in full, as separate short stories, or to jump-start a longer article.
Applications open to hunt elk in Minnesota
Interested hunters have through Friday, June 16, to apply for one of 17 elk licenses offered this year by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Seasons will run from early September to mid-October. Hunters applying for a license can choose from two options. One license is for an antlerless elk, which can be a female or a young male. The other license option is for either a bull or antlerless elk.
New this season, the DNR expanded the boundaries of Elk Zone 20 near Lancaster to better encompass areas where elk have been during elk hunting seasons. The zone expanded by about 6 miles to the west and 3 miles to the south.
It?s important that hunters review the elk season structure on the?DNR website?(mndnr.gov/hunting/elk) prior to entering the lottery to ensure they apply for the license they want.
Bass fishing a highlight of spring???
The bass fishing catch-and-keep season (mndnr.gov/fishing/regs.html) opens Saturday, May 27, and spring is a great time to cast a line for these fun-to-catch fish. Largemouth and smallmouth bass can be easier to catch in spring and early summer when they spend more time in shallow water. Later, as water temperatures rise, bass move to deeper water in search of sunken points, rocky humps and aquatic plant edges that offer protection from larger fish and hiding places for prey. Learn more about how to fish for bass and other species at the DNR?s learn to fish page (mndnr.gov/gofishing/how-catch-fish.html).
Minnesota Twins offer free hats
Anyone with a 2023 Minnesota fishing or hunting license can receive a free special edition orange Minnesota Twins logo cap and a ticket discount from the Twins, through a partnership between the Twins and the Minnesota DNR.
Upcoming DNR Days at Twins games this season are:
- Friday, May 26 vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 7:10 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 13 vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 6:40 p.m.
- Sunday, July 23 vs. Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 19 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 6:10 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 9 vs. New York Mets, 1:10 p.m.
Promotion details, instructions for purchasing tickets, and information on buying a fishing or hunting license, are available on the Minnesota DNR Days page (mndnr.gov/twins). Tickets must be purchased ahead of time using our special DNR link (twins.com/dnr) to receive this offer.
DNR webinars cover monarch butterflies, muskie diets
The Minnesota DNR invites people interested in fishing, wildlife and outdoor skills to tune in to upcoming webinars that feature discussions about monarch butterflies, and muskellunge diets.
The first webinar is Wednesday, May 24. Experts from Monarch Joint Venture will discuss what is being done for monarchs in North America and how to take simple steps to make a difference for monarchs.
The second webinar is Wednesday, May 31. DNR fisheries experts Brian Herwig, Jim Wolters and Kamden Glade will share the results of their recent research projects providing new insights on the diets and ecology of Minnesota muskie and related fishing tips that can help you hook Minnesota?s top aquatic predator.
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).
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds hikers, campers and others recreating outdoors to be aware of bears and learn how to prevent conflicts.
Minnesota is bear country, but people can peacefully share the outdoors with bears by paying attention to where and when they are most likely to encounter bears. Black bears are naturally cautious animals that typically avoid human contact for their own safety; however, it?s important to be proactive to prevent human-bear conflicts.
?Coexistence with bears is completely doable with a few easy steps that anyone can follow,? said Andrew Tri, bear project leader. ?The key things to remember are to not surprise them and to keep food secure.?
When moving about in bear country, people should be aware of their surroundings, make noise periodically so bears know they?re there, and always keep dogs leashed.
To keep human food away from bears, people should keep a clean camp by practicing leave no trace principles (lnt.org). People should:
- Store coolers in a locked vehicle or store food in a certified bear-resistant container.
- Take food waste with them rather than piling it outside the receptable if the trash container or dumpster is full. Leave no trash or food scraps in camp and don?t burn scraps in the fire ring.
- Not leave food, trash or pet food outdoors and unsupervised ? all it takes is a few seconds for a hungry bear to swipe it.
Learn more about how to safely recreate in Minnesota on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/bearsafety) and at BearWise (bearwise.org).
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