Minnesota Wildlife

Hunt prairie chickens or sharp-tailed grouse? You can help with this research

Hunters, you can help researchers in a study looking at whether hybridization between prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse is influencing prairie chicken populations.

The long-term effects of hybridization on Minnesota?s prairie chicken population are unknown, but hybridization is a potential concern.

As production of hybrid offspring increases, the gene pools of these species mix and the number of pure prairie chicken and sharptail chicks is reduced.?

To help researchers, prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse hunters in northwestern Minnesota can voluntarily submit wing or tail feathers from each bird they harvest this season. Researchers from the Minnesota DNR, North Dakota Game and Fish Department and University of North Dakota will use the wing samples as they study the habitat changes and behavior influencing sharp-tailed grouse expansion into prairie chicken range.

Hunters can submit five to 10 large wing or tail feathers from each bird in a separate paper envelope (please do not mix feathers from different birds together) labeled with the county of harvest and mail the envelopes to: Grouse Research, DNR Regional Headquarters, 1201 E Highway 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744. Learn more about the research and these species on the DNR website.

Photos top to bottom: A prairie chicken, a sharp-tailed grouse and a hybrid of the two

Hunter walking trails provide access to public hunting in northern Minnesota

The Minnesota DNR maintains hunter walking trails as easy ways to travel by foot through wildlife management areas, state and federal forests, and other public hunting lands. Hunter walking trails wind through prime habitat for ruffed grouse, woodcock, wild turkey and deer. There are more than 600 miles of hunter walking trails located throughout the northern half of the state. Many of the trails are gated, allowing foot traffic only.

Check out the hunter walking trail tool that provides information on trail locations by name and county. You can also call area wildlife offices for information about the trails, or hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities and tips.

Time for fall turkey hunting

The Minnesota fall turkey hunting season offers hunters a challenge and another way to experience the outdoors. Fall turkey season is open from Saturday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 29.

Hunters are allowed to take one turkey of either sex during the fall season. Fall turkey hunters may use a crossbow, firearm or archery equipment afield. Fall turkey licenses are available for purchase online, by telephone by calling 888-665-4236 or in person anywhere Minnesota DNR licenses are sold. More information about fall turkey hunting is available on the DNR website.

Do you want to learn more about fall turkey hunting? Make sure to check out this webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Ryan Tebo, a DNR wildlife manager, will discuss fall turkey hunting. Registration for the webinar is available on the?DNR website.

Statewide youth deer season returns Oct. 19-22

Minnesota?s youth deer season will take place statewide Thursday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 22. The season coincides with statewide teacher workshops, so many Minnesota students don?t have school during the youth season.

To participate, youth must be 10-17 years old and have a deer license. Participant numbers are not limited and?there is no special permit,?so parents should purchase or obtain a regular deer hunting license for each youth who will be hunting. Youth may not tag antlerless deer or legal bucks taken by another individual. Crossbows are allowed for licensed youth hunters. An adult parent, guardian, or mentor must accompany youth ages 10-13.

All hunters and mentors, regardless of whether they are participating in youth deer season, must follow blaze orange/pink clothing requirements. Fabric or synthetic ground blinds on public land must have a blaze orange safety covering on top of the blind that is visible from all directions, or a patch made of blaze orange that is at least 144 square inches (12x12 inches) on each side of the blind.

Adults may not hunt, unless they are in an area open during the early antlerless season and have the corresponding license. Complete youth season details are available on the Minnesota DNR youth deer season page.

Photo courtesy of Janelle Hahn

Early antlerless-only deer season is Oct. 19-22

Hunters can participate in an early antlerless-only deer season from Thursday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 22. The season increases opportunities for hunters in deer permit areas where deer populations are above population goals or where there is an increased risk of chronic wasting disease. Permit areas open during the hunt are 214, 215, 218, 219, 221, 222, 223, 225, 227, 229, 236, 277, 341, 342, 605, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 661 and 701.

The Minnesota DNR offers this opportunity to hunters in an effort to manage local deer herds. The bag limit is three antlerless deer and deer taken during the early antlerless-only season do not count against the statewide bag limit or the permit area bag limit. Youth may not tag antlerless deer or legal bucks taken by another individual. Fabric or synthetic ground blinds on public land must have a blaze orange safety covering on top of the blind that is visible from all directions, or a patch made of blaze orange that is at least 144 square inches (12x12 inches) on each side of the blind.

Before participating, hunters should review the specific license and permit requirements available on page 88 of the Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations.

Photo courtesy of Jacob Niehaus

How to get your deer sampled for chronic wasting disease

Minnesota deer hunters, you have multiple options for getting your deer tested for chronic wasting disease.

CWD sampling options include requesting a mail-in kit before hunting or utilizing kits obtained but not used last year. Hunters may participate in the partner sampling program. Hunters can also make an appointment to have their deer sampled at Minnesota DNR area wildlife offices, and contact information is available on the DNR website. Additionally, deer hunters are required to have their deer 1 year or older sampled for CWD in all CWD management and surveillance zones during the opening weekend of the firearms A season (Nov. 4-5).

Make sure you know the DPA number of the area you?re planning to hunt prior to buying a license and take time to understand the CWD regulations and sampling options for that particular area. We also have a DPA lookup tool on the DNR?s make a plan for deer season webpage?to help in checking if a DPA has carcass movement restrictions, or has deer feeding or attractant bans in place.

Share your trail camera photos

The Offal Wildlife Watching Project with the University of Minnesota Extension aims at better understanding what Minnesota wildlife species are attracted to and eat the organ meats (offal) in gut piles left from hunters field dressing deer and how offal affects wildlife food webs.

The project asks volunteer hunters to set up camera traps on the offal they leave in the field to capture images of wildlife visitors for one complete month.?The project also relies on volunteers to help classify and identify wildlife in our many thousands of captured images each hunting season at?Zooniverse.org.

The project is currently seeking more deer hunter participants from throughout Minnesota. Hunter participants are welcome to use their own trail cameras or borrow camera equipment to use and get via mail from project staff. Prospective participants can find more information and register at?[email protected]. Questions can be directed to Program Coordinator Grace Milanowski at [email protected] or 612-626-0109. You can also follow the project on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Ways people with disabilities can search for hunting opportunities

Hunters with disabilities can learn more about hunting opportunities by visiting the Minnesota DNR website. Information about accessible hunting, fishing, camping and more is available on the Accessible Outdoors webpage.

Public land open to public hunting includes wildlife management areas. A subset of WMAs have an online accessibility sheet that provides greater detail on the services and facilities for people with disabilities, including photos and maps. If you?re interested, we strongly encouraged you to call the area wildlife manager for an update on current conditions at WMAs.

Upcoming season dates

Wow, it?s fall! With some hunting seasons open including archery deer, duck, squirrel, here?s a list of some other hunting season openers on the horizon.

• Sept. 30 ? Fall wild turkey, prairie chicken
• Oct. 14 ? Pheasant, and trapping seasons for fox, raccoon, opossum and badger in the north furbearer zone
• Oct. 19 ? Youth deer and early antlerless deer
• Oct. 21 ? Trapping seasons for fox, raccoon, opossum and badger in the south furbearer zone
• Oct. 28 ? Trapping season for muskrat, otter, mink and beaver
• Nov. 04 ? Firearm deer opener (Season A) in 100, 200 & 300 series permit areas
• Nov. 18 ? Firearm deer opener (Season B) in 300 series permit areas
• Nov. 25 ? Muzzleloader deer
• Dec. 9 ? Trapping seasons for pine marten, fisher, bobcat (check regulations for open areas)
• Dec. 15 ? Crow?