In This Issue
With tens of thousands of hunters set to hunt wild turkeys between now and the end of May, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages them all to prioritize safety and remember a safe hunt is a successful hunt.
Hunting overall is a safe activity, and the DNR generally sees few firearms-related incidents specific to turkey hunting. However, even one injury ? let alone a fatality ? is one too many. Following are a few tips to help ensure a safe turkey hunt:
- Treat every firearm/crossbow as if it is loaded.
- Control the muzzle.
- Be sure of the target and what?s beyond.
- Hunters should keep their finger off the trigger until they are ready to shoot.
- If hunting from a ground blind on public land, remember the blind 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 material that is at least 144 square inches on each side of the blind.
?Turkey hunting is a great way to get youth involved in the outdoors and for parents or mentors to reinforce the importance of always practicing safety in the field,? said Capt. Jon Paurus, safety training education manager for the DNR Enforcement Division.
Paurus also said firearms safety education is a key reason why the number of hunting incidents in recent years is far below historical averages . DNR volunteer instructors put on firearms safety classes and field days throughout the state. People should plan well in advance, as these trainings tend to fill quickly. See the DNR safety training calendar (mndnr.gov/events/safety_training.html) for a list of classes and field days, and to sign up to receive notifications as soon as new ones are added.
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Open house is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 24
 Photo credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting the public to tour the Waterville State Fish Hatchery and learn about the importance of the investment in constructing a new hatchery there. The open house will be 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 at the hatchery located in Waterville.
Visitors can tour the facility and see incubating fish eggs; young fish of various sizes; adult fish; and displays with fisheries sampling gear, nets, and work boats. Guests will also be able hear about the process of raising fish and enjoy refreshments.
?Touring the hatchery is a memorable experience. We?re looking forward to chatting about what we do and showing why we are so excited to be modernizing our operations,? said Craig Soupir, Waterville area fisheries supervisor. ?The fish produced in the Waterville hatchery and other hatcheries in Minnesota are important for the state?s economy, ecology, and of course, our fishing opportunities.?
Opened in 1954, the Waterville hatchery is the state?s largest cool-water facility. It incubates and raises various sizes of walleye, northern pike and muskellunge for the state?s fish stocking program.
The hatchery is located 2 miles west of Waterville off of Le Sueur County Road 14 at 50317 Fish Hatchery Road. For more information on the Waterville area fisheries office, visit the Waterville area fisheries page (mndnr.gov/areas/fisheries/waterville) or call the office during regular business hours at 507-362-4223.
The Waterville hatchery improvements are part of the once-in-a-generation Get Out MORE (Modernize Outdoor Recreation Experiences) investments approved by the Minnesota Legislature and signed by Gov. Tim Walz in 2023. Among the investments is $55 million to moving Minnesota toward a state-of-the-art fish hatchery system with safe and biosecure water supplies, increased fish production, and improved staff safety. An additional $5 million will go toward improving shore fishing opportunities.
To learn more about how these investments will improve outdoor experiences in the state, go to the Get Out MORE webpage of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/aboutdnr/get-out-more).
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Lee Lake, near the city of Hawley in Clay County.?
A lake property owner contacted the DNR after noticing zebra mussels along the shoreline and attached to a rock. A DNR invasive species specialist found adult zebra mussels on a dock at the Lee Lake public water access and at a second location about three-quarters of a mile from the public water access.??
Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:?
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Clean watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.?
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Drain all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.?
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Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.?
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Never release bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.?
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Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days before moving them from one water body to another.?
These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:?
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Decontaminate watercraft and equipment ? find free stations on the courtesy decontamination webpage of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/decon).?
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Spray watercraft and equipment with high-pressure water or rinse with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).?
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Dry watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.?
People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist (mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.?
More information is available on the aquatic invasive species webpage of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/ais).?
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