Minnesota Wildlife

Crossbows allowed for deer and turkey hunters

Crossbows are now allowed for all Minnesota deer and spring turkey hunters with the correct license, following a law change passed in the 2023 legislative session. Deer licenses go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 1

The new law expands the use of crossbows, which previously were allowed for some hunters with a permit, who were 60 or older during archery deer or turkey seasons, or during previous firearms seasons for deer or turkeys. Crossbows were already allowed for all hunters during the fall wild turkey and bear seasons. Rough fish may be taken with a crossbow during the bowfishing season.

?New hunter, first deer with a crossbow? photo courtesy of?Megan Strike

Apply to hunt elk in Minnesota

Interested in hunting elk? Hunters have through Friday, June 16, to apply for one of 17 elk licenses offered this year by the DNR.

Seasons will run from early September to mid-October. Hunters can choose from two license 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. Please review the elk season structure on the?DNR website?prior to entering the lottery to ensure you apply for the license you want.

New this season, the DNR expanded the boundaries of Elk Zone 20 near Lancaster to better encompass areas where elk have been seen during elk hunting seasons. The zone expanded by about 6 miles to the west and 3 miles to the south.

Pictured: Brad Penas with his state record elk harvested in northwestern Minnesota.

Be BearWise this summer while recreating outdoors

The DNR 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.

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. 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 receptacle 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 and at BearWise.

Leave fawns alone

Fawn season is here, and here are some fun facts about fawns:

• White-tailed deer often have twins, or even triplets.
• A doe will leave a fawn well-hidden for hours at a time. This is a way of protecting the fawn from predators as the doe feeds. Twins will be hidden separately from one another.
• A fawn?s white spots serve as visual camouflage to help hide them from predators. The pattern mimics sunlight breaking through the trees to the ground.
• Fawns grow up fast ? after only six weeks, they?re fully weaned. Female fawns stay with their mother for up to two years, but male fawns will typically leave after the first year.
• Most hidden fawns are not abandoned! Wildlife rehabilitators receive several fawns each year that were actually kidnapped. Unless a fawn is injured, sick, or malnourished, it likely does not need help. Before handling or moving any fawn, please contact your local wildlife rehabilitator.?

DNR sees continued popularity of outdoor skills webinars

A series of outdoor skills webinars has seen continued growth in participation as Minnesotans have looked to boost their fishing, hunting, habitat and outdoors know-how.

The DNR is continuing the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series that started in March 2021, with new webinars this summer on topics that will appeal to people interested in nature, including anglers and hunters.

Summer webinar topics include boat launching, lake trout, off-road vehicles, reconnecting fish populations and habitat, catch and release fishing, fawn research, using falcons for hunting, frogs and toads, the Conservation Partners Legacy grant program, kayak fishing, cattails, 2023 deer season updates, and the DNR at the Minnesota State Fair.

The next upcoming webinar is at noon Wednesday, June 14. Josh Blankenheim, DNR large lake specialist for the Lake Superior area fisheries office, will discuss how lake trout were nearly lost from Lake Superior and the efforts that led to the successful rehabilitation of the species in the lake. Blankenheim also will share tactics and tips on how to catch lake trout in Lake Superior.

The webinars are free, and participants must pre-register. More information, including summer session topics and how to register, is available on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the DNR website.

Catch this Twins offer

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:

• 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. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time using our special DNR link to receive this offer.