In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management.
Apply through Aug. 18 for Camp Ripley archery hunts
Hunters can apply for the fall archery deer hunt at Camp Ripley near Little Falls through Friday, Aug. 18. This year, the three-day hunt will happen Oct. 27-29 (Friday through Sunday, application code 668). A total of 2,500 permits will be made available. The bag limit is two and bonus permits may be used to take antlerless deer.
The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources coordinates the hunt in collaboration with Central Lakes College Natural Resources Department and the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.
Complete details on how to apply, hunt rules and other important instructions are available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer/camp-ripley-archery-hunt.html).
Apply through Aug. 18 for special youth deer hunts
Hunters can apply for special youth deer hunt permits through Friday, Aug. 18. The number of permits for each hunt is limited. Individual hunts will be held in several state parks, and in the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge, on various dates in the fall. Adults must accompany youth during these hunts. These firearms hunts are for youth ages 12-15 at the time of the hunt.
Youth archery hunters in Sand Prairie Wildlife Management Area in Sherburne County can be ages 10-17.
Special youth deer hunts are different from the statewide youth deer season, which takes place Oct. 19-22 and does not require an application. More information is available on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer/special-deer-hunts.html).
In most instances, hunters may only possess and use nontoxic ammunition when participating in a special hunt in a Minnesota state park; however, nontoxic ammunition requirements do not apply to youth special hunts in the shotgun-use area if hunters remove all parts of harvested deer from the field, including the entrails.
Where nontoxic ammunition is required, bullets, slugs, muzzleloader ammunition and other single projectiles must be made entirely of nontoxic material approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A full list is available in the Code of Federal Regulations (ecfr.gov) and can be found by typing “hunting methods” in the search box and clicking “What hunting methods are illegal?”
Apply through Aug. 18 for prairie chicken hunt lottery
Hunters can apply through Friday, Aug. 18, to be chosen for one of 125 permits for the 2023 Minnesota prairie chicken hunting season. The nine-day prairie chicken season begins Saturday, Sept. 23, and is open to Minnesota residents only. The hunt takes place in northwestern Minnesota from St. Hilaire south to Breckenridge. Hunters can find details about the season on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resouces website (mndnr.gov/hunting/prairiechicken).
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 Minnesota Twins, through a partnership between the Twins and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Upcoming DNR Days at Twins games this season are:
- 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 webpage (mndnr.gov/twins). Tickets must be purchased ahead of time using a special DNR link (twins.com/dnr) to receive this offer.
Minnesota DNR webinars cover cattails, deer season
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to check out the summer program schedule for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series.
In a webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 16, Amy Schrank, Minnesota Sea Grant Extension Program Leader, will discuss why cattails are so abundant on Minnesota shorelines and how they impact lakes. Schrank will also review recent research about whether small-scale removal of invasive cattails can increase water quality and plant diversity, and benefit lake fish communities.
In a webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 23, Todd Froberg, Minnesota DNR big game program coordinator, will discuss regulations and changes for hunters in the 2023 deer season. Froberg will also discuss deer hunting opportunities, important dates and deadlines, deer populations statewide, an overview of the deer population goal setting process, and chronic wasting disease regulations. Additionally, the webinar will include information about the Offal Wildlife Watching Project with the University of Minnesota Extension, a citizen science and research project aimed at better understanding how Minnesota wildlife species use hunter-provided deer gut piles (offal) and how offal affects wildlife food webs.
The Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series webinars are free and offered year-round, though registration is required. Visit the Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webpage of the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/discover) for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.
Winners chosen for 2024 trout and salmon stamp, walleye stamp contests
 A painting of a brook trout by Alborn artist Dean Kegler (left) and a painting of a walleye by Bemidji artist Sam Larsen (right).
Alborn artist Dean Kegler won the Minnesota trout and salmon stamp contest with an acrylic painting of a brook trout, and Bemidji artist Sam Larsen won the walleye stamp contest with an acrylic painting of a walleye. Judging for both contests happened virtually Aug. 3.
In the trout and salmon stamp contest, which had 10 eligible submissions, the runner-up was Ronald Engebretson of Owatonna with a watercolor and color pencil painting of a brown trout. Third place went to Josh Evan of Mapleton with an acrylic painting of a brook trout.
In the walleye stamp contest, which had 11 eligible submissions, the runner-up was Stuart Nelson of Cloquet with an acrylic painting of a walleye. Third place went to Stephen Hamrick of Lakeville with an acrylic painting of a walleye.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources uses revenue from voluntary purchases of walleye stamps to purchase walleye for stocking in Minnesota’s lakes. Revenue from trout and salmon stamps, which are required for anglers ages 18-64 who fish in designated trout water or possess trout, is dedicated to trout and salmon management and habitat work. Visit the stamp webpage of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/stamps) for more information about habitat stamps and contest guidelines.
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Study shows increased visits from people of color and highlights the impact of state park visits on local economies
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently completed a study of state park visitors. The study engaged more than 2,000 park visitors during the 2022 summer season and consisted of a visitor survey, an economic impact assessment, and focus groups. The final report shows increasing diversity among park visitors, examines the economic impact of state park visitation on the state’s economy and provides information to help guide Minnesota DNR investments.
The visitor study’s findings offer suggestions for future investments, including continued efforts to make state parks more welcoming and accessible to visitors of all abilities and backgrounds. The state’s recently enacted Get Out MORE (Modernize Outdoor Recreation Experiences) (files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/legislativeinfo/2023/2023-investments-mn-dnr-get-out-more.pdf) investments will help the DNR pursue these kinds of improvements at state parks.
“We are thrilled about how the Get Out MORE funding will improve Minnesotans’ experiences on our public lands and waters across the state,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “This funding will help make state parks more accessible and welcoming places for Minnesotans to connect to the outdoors.”
The results also show an increase in visitation by people of color, who made up 11% of state park visitors in 2022, up from 5% of visitors in 2017.
“The visitor study shows that Minnesota DNR is making progress toward our goal of inclusivity, though there’s still more work to do,” said Ann Pierce, director of the Minnesota DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. “We will continue our efforts to expand access to public lands for traditionally underserved communities and to welcome new visitors to outdoor recreation in state parks.”
In the last several years, the Minnesota DNR has prioritized efforts to increase diversity among state park visitors, deploying new strategies such as more inclusive marketing, the state parks library pass program, skill-building programming and investments in adaptive equipment like all-terrain track chairs.
In addition, the study highlights the importance of state park visitation to Minnesota’s economy, with visitors spending more than $688 million in local communities each year. Visitors from outside Minnesota contribute an estimated $147 million per year to Minnesota’s economy during their trips to Minnesota state parks.
"State parks are economic engines for Minnesota communities with each visitor spending an average of $67 per person per day,” said Randolph Briley, director of the Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership. “This is spending that goes directly to community businesses, increasing revenue and supporting local jobs."
To read the full report on the 2022 study, visit the Minnesota DNR’s state parks and trails studies webpage (mndnr.gov/aboutdnr/reports/pat).
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting letters of intent for projects seeking funding through its Lake Superior Coastal Program. Letters of intent are due by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15.
Projects that positively impact the natural, economic, recreational or cultural resources of Minnesota’s coastal area are eligible for funding. Grants will be awarded in the following categories:
- Administrative grants for planning, managing or researching coastal resources, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
- Coastal Resource Improvement grants for low-cost construction or acquisition, with grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000.
Approximately $600,000 will be available for projects to begin in fall 2024. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management provides the funding for these grants. Applicants must provide dollar-for-dollar match from a non‐federal source.
"We have two changes to our annual application process this year,” Coastal Program Manager Amber Westerbur said. “The first is soliciting letters of intent. These brief letters allow applicants to outline their project idea and gauge interest without spending the time and energy upfront completing a full application. The second is an increase in funding for low-cost construction and acquisition projects. As costs increase, we're happy we can provide more financial support to these kinds of projects."
The coastal area covers portions of Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties, Fond du Lac and Grand Portage reservations, and the Minnesota waters of Lake Superior. Local, state and tribal governments; nonprofit organizations; area‐wide and regional planning agencies; colleges and universities; public school districts; port authorities; joint powers boards and sanitary sewer districts are eligible to apply.
A letter of intent template and other application materials can be found on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/waters/lakesuperior/grants.html). Additional details about the program are available on the Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program webpage (mndnr.gov/mlscp).
Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program has dispersed more than $14 million in grants to more than 650 projects since 1999.
Questions about the grant process can be directed to Cynthia Poyhonen, grants specialist, 218‐834‐1447 or [email protected].
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will hold an open house on Thursday, Sept. 7, to collect public comments and share information about a proposed northern pike regulation change for the Gull Lake chain, including Gull Lake and connected Upper Gull, Margaret, Ray, Love, Nisswa, Roy, and Round lakes in Cass and Crow Wing counties.
The purpose of the proposed regulation is to provide better protection for large northern pike in the Gull Lake chain and reduce enforcement complexities by applying the same regulation to all connected waters.
If adopted, the regulation will require all northern pike from 30 to 40 inches to be immediately released and will change the possession limit to two, with only one over 40 inches allowed in possession on the Gull Lake chain. The proposed regulation would be evaluated for effectiveness after 10 years, in 2034. If adopted, the regulation would be in effect for the fishing season that begins May 11, 2024.
The open house will take place from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the Brainerd DNR office’s lower-level conference room. The office is located at 1601 Minnesota Drive in Brainerd. Attendees should enter through the main entrance door facing the guest parking lot.
Additionally, there will be an open house in the Twin Cities metro area to accept comments on this proposal and other special and experimental regulation proposals statewide. That open house is 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the DNR Central Office, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul.
Comments about regulation changes being proposed can also be submitted online by visiting the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/fishregs) and taking the online survey. In addition, comments about the proposal for the Gull Lake chain can be directed to the Brainerd area fisheries office by calling 218-203-4301, emailing [email protected] or mailing to Brainerd Area Fisheries, 1601 Minnesota Drive, Brainerd, MN, 56401. Comments will be accepted through Friday, Oct. 20.
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Public hearing planned for Tuesday, Aug. 22 in Green Isle
A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 22, to discuss management options, gather public input and review a plan for habitat enhancement on Silver Lake in Sibley County.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fish and wildlife managers earlier this year replaced a failing water control structure at the outlet of Silver Lake. The new water control structure will provide opportunities for periodic, temporary water level management.
Managed drawdowns help mimic natural drought cycles that reset lake ecosystems by removing bottom-feeding fish species and consolidating sediments, which helps improve habitat conditions for fish and wildlife by increasing water clarity and promoting aquatic plant growth. The proposal also includes the stocking of game fish such as walleye or northern pike after a drawdown and subsequent winterkill. Stocking these desirable species will help establish angling opportunities and provide predators to suppress populations of bottom-feeding fish species such as common carp and bullheads.
The Aug. 22 hearing is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the proposed plan, ask questions, and formally provide comments on the proposed plan and management actions.
The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22 at the Green Isle Sportsman’s Club, 21023 391st Ave., Green Isle. The public is also invited to informally visit with Minnesota DNR staff and ask questions prior to the public hearing, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Interested parties can contact Tim Koppelman, assistant area wildlife manager, 507-386-3923, [email protected] or 501 9th St., Nicollet, MN 56074.
Questions can also be directed to Steve Kittelson, Minnesota DNR shallow lakes specialist, 507-578-8891 or [email protected].
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