In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management.
Winner chosen for waterfowl stamp contest
 Mankato artist Kurt Kegler won the Minnesota waterfowl stamp contest with an acrylic painting of a cackling goose, a species that looks like a smaller version of a Canada goose. Michael Sieve of Rushford earned second place with a cackling goose painting done in oil and acrylic. Third place went Stephen Hamrick of Lakeville with a painting of a cackling goose done in acrylic. The winners were selected out of 12 eligible submissions. The waterfowl stamp can be purchased in combination with a hunting license, or as a collectable. Visit the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/stamps) for more information about habitat stamps and contest guidelines.
Reminder: Deer lottery application deadline is Sept. 5
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds firearm and muzzleloader hunters, who want to harvest antlerless deer in a deer permit area designated as antlerless permit lottery this hunting season, to purchase their license by Thursday, Sept. 5. Hunters who purchase their license on or before this date are automatically entered into the lottery for the deer permit area or special hunt area they declare.
Successful applicants will receive a postcard in the mail authorizing them to take an antlerless deer using their regular license in that antlerless permit lottery area. No application is needed to take antlerless deer in permit areas with either sex, two-deer limit, three-deer limit or five-deer limit designations. Hunters are reminded that DPAs 235 and 251 went from either-sex to lottery this year.
Hunters who want to participate in special firearm or muzzleloader deer hunts also need to apply for permits that are issued through a lottery. That application deadline is also Sept. 5. More information and details about how to apply for special hunts are available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer/special-deer-hunts.html).
More information about designations and regulations for deer permit areas, as well as details about special hunt opportunities, are available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer) and in the 2024 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook, available online and in print wherever Minnesota DNR licenses are sold.
Minnesota Twins offer special edition hats with DNR ticket package
Anyone with a 2024 Minnesota fishing or hunting license can access a special ticket package with the Minnesota Twins this season that includes a special edition blaze orange wool-blend Twins cap with ticket purchase.
The Minnesota DNR Days partnership included seven games this year, with the final one coming up at 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10 vs. the Los Angeles Angels. Find instructions for purchasing tickets on the Minnesota DNR Days webpage (mndnr.gov/twins).
Minnesota DNR webinars focus on deer management, hunting and fishing public land
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to check out the fall program schedule for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series.
In a webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 4, join Minnesota DNR’s Big Game Program staff as they share their behind-the-scenes perspectives on deer management in Minnesota, including information about the deer population goal setting process, what biologists consider when setting bag limit designations, current research projects, and an outlook on the upcoming hunting season.
In a webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 11, Jamie Gangaware, Minnesota DNR wildlife operations manager, and Jamison Wendel, Minnesota DNR fisheries habitat manager, will discuss wildlife management areas and aquatic management areas, the history of the WMA and AMA program, the purposes of these lands, and the variety of recreational opportunities they offer. Participants will also learn about the system-wide planning process currently underway to ensure consistent and holistic management of WMA and AMA lands into the future.
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.
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Hunting opportunities facilitate positive outdoors experiences
Youth who want to hunt in Minnesota have several opportunities to go hunting in the fall in addition to regular hunting seasons.
“These hunting opportunities are designed for youth to have positive hunting experiences and get dedicated time to learn outdoor skills,” said Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Youth who take part in these hunts can make lifelong memories in the outdoors.”
Youth hunting opportunities and dates this fall that are in addition to regular hunting seasons are:
- Youth Waterfowl Weekend – Sept. 7-8 waterfowl hunters 17 and younger can hunt if accompanied by a nonhunting adult 18 years of age or older. More information is available on the Minnesota DNR youth waterfowl weekend page (mndnr.gov/hunting/waterfowl/youth.html).
- Take a Kid Hunting Weekend – Sept. 21-22, adult Minnesota residents accompanied by a youth under age 16 may hunt small game without a license. Hunting regulations are available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/regulations/hunting).
- Youth deer season – Oct. 17-20, statewide season for youth ages 10-17. Youth ages 10-13 must be accompanied by an adult parent, guardian or mentor. More information is available on the Minnesota DNR youth deer season webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer/youth.html).
- Special youth deer hunts – the application deadline each year is in mid-August, and these firearms and archery hunts are at state parks on various dates each fall. More information is available on the Minnesota DNR special hunt webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer/special-deer-hunts.html).
- Mentored hunts with Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation and Pheasants Forever – participating organizations provide a variety of mentored hunt opportunities. More information about how to inquire about these opportunities is available on the Minnesota DNR learn to hunt webpage (mndnr.gov/gohunting/learn-hunt-opportunities.html).
For firearms hunting, youth generally need to complete required firearms safety training, or go hunting using the apprentice hunter validation, a short-term exclusion to the requirement for completing hunter firearms safety training that be purchased where hunting licenses are sold. More information about both is available on the Minnesota DNR learn to hunt page (mndnr.gov/gohunting/start-hunting.html).
The Minnesota Hunting Regulations booklet has important information for all hunters, including youth. Page 35 of the 2024 regulations booklet has all the details for youth hunters, including license requirements. Links to the regulations booklet, as well as general hunting season information, can be found on the Minnesota DNR hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting).
Anyone interested in learning new skills in the outdoors, including youth, can also find a variety of recorded webinars on hunting topics in the archive of the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship page (mndnr.gov/discover).
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Minnesota’s archery deer season opens Saturday, Sept. 14, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has online tools and area wildlife staff ready to support hunters as they prepare for the season.
“We’re looking forward to deer season and want hunters to know how to find the information they need for safe, enjoyable hunting this fall,” said Todd Froberg, DNR big game program coordinator.
Minnesota DNR’s deer hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer) has important information for hunters about regulations, bag limits, and chronic wasting disease sampling information. Additionally, the Minnesota DNR Information Center and area wildlife staff can answer questions about deer hunting seasons and people can contact the DNR Information Center (mndnr.gov/contact) by email or by calling
888-646-6367. Wildlife area office contact information is available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/areas/wildlife).
There are about 108,000 archery deer hunters in Minnesota and the season is open from Sept. 14 through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Crossbows are allowed for all deer hunters with an archery license, a statutory change enacted in 2023.
CWD testing reminders
Hunters should check the CWD requirements and available sampling options for the deer permit areas where they hunt. Hunters can find DPA-specific information by visiting the make a plan tool (mndnr.gov/deerhunt). In CWD management and surveillance zones, all hunters, including archery hunters, are required to have deer one year old or older sampled for CWD if they harvest it during the opening weekend of the firearms A season (Nov. 9-10). During the rest of season, CWD sampling is optional. In areas outside of CWD management and surveillance zones, CWD sampling is optional all season. Multiple sampling options are available, with details on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/cwd/cwd-testing.html).
Blaze orange requirements
Archery hunters are also reminded that blaze orange clothing is required during the youth and early antlerless seasons from Thursday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 20, and during any other open firearms season.
Deer hunters, including archery hunters, who are hunting deer in a fabric or synthetic ground blind 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 material that is at least 144 square inches (12x12 inches) on each side of the blind.
Tips and information
Hunters can learn more about population management, season information, and tips for a successful hunt through upcoming webinars (mndnr.gov/discover). Detailed information for every DPA, including hunters per square mile in 2023, public hunting ground, and land cover types, is available through the interactive deer map by selecting “DPA Details” in the interactive deer map (mndnr.gov/deermap).
Deer hunting regulations are available on the Minnesota DNR’s deer hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer) and in the hunting and trapping regulations booklet. The Minnesota DNR provides translations of the regulations in Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Spanish. The translated versions are estimated to be available online in September and are expected in print by the end of October.
Deer season dates for 2024
- Archery: Saturday, Sept. 14, through Tuesday, Dec. 31
- Youth (statewide) and early antlerless (in applicable DPAs): Thursday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 20
- Firearms: Saturday, Nov. 9, with various closing dates depending on location
- Muzzleloader: Saturday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 15
- Late CWD (DPAs 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648 and 649) Friday, Dec. 20, through Sunday, Dec. 22.
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Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Sarah Strommen honored two youths for their outstanding conservation efforts Friday, Aug. 30, at the Minnesota State Fair.
Cody Shaw from Owatonna in Steele County received the 4-H award and Grace Grant from Stillwater in Washington County received the Future Farmers of America Award during a ceremony held at the DNR Volunteer Outdoor Stage.
The DNR Commissioner’s Youth Awards are given annually to an FFA student and 4-H member who have demonstrated initiative, leadership, creativity and achievement in conservation and wise use of natural and agricultural resources. This is the 33rd year of the award program.
4-H member and DNR Youth Award winner Cody Shaw is in his 10th year of 4-H and the current president of his club. Initially tasked with developing ideas for a food drive, Cody learned of the Peregrine Falcon Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and wondered if he could combine the two. This led Cody to develop a 4-H project around coordinating a peregrine falcon presentation and ultimately building nesting boxes for American kestrels.
Cody led the coordination for a peregrine falcon presentation from the Midwest Peregrine Society at the Mayo Clinic. Those attending the presentation made contributions to the food drive. Cody then learned about the declining American kestrel population and engaged the Steele County Extension Office for ideas to build and distribute kestrel nesting boxes. Cody worked with a local hardware supplier to get donated supplies, arranged the use of his High School woodshop, and recruited fellow 4-H members to help build the boxes.
Cody is the son of Brian and Tracy Ackman-Shaw.
The DNR congratulates Cody for receiving the 2024 DNR Commissioner’s 4-H Youth Award.
Grace Grant received the DNR Commissioner’s FFA Youth Award. Grace has always loved the outdoors and being in wild places. After joining FFA, Grace was encouraged to pursue her interest in the outdoors by volunteering for Supervised Agricultural Experiences, or SAEs. Projects Grace choose for her experiences included raising rainbow trout, banding peregrine falcons, and working for the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa.
Grace’s trout stocking project started with collecting, sorting, and identifying macroinvertebrates to assess the overall health of Brown’s Creek near her hometown of Stillwater. Grace also examined other stream characteristics, such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and stream flow. With support from Trout Unlimited, Grace was provided the materials needed to raise the rainbow trout in her classroom. Grace was responsible for preparing the trout tanks and monitoring them daily, raising the trout from eggs to fingerlings, and ultimately releasing the trout into Brown’s Creek. Grace also volunteered to assist the Midwest Peregrine Falcon Society with banding peregrine falcon chicks. In the summer of 2023, Grace was a crew member with the Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa, constructing boardwalks and controlling invasive species in Minnesota state parks.
Grace will be entering the Environment Sciences Program at the University of Minnesota-Duluth this fall. Grace is the daughter of Arne and Mary Grant.
The DNR congratulates Grace for receiving the 2024 DNR Commissioner’s FFA Youth Award.
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Waterfowl hunters and migratory bird watchers should expect very low water conditions at Canosia Wildlife Management Area this fall. Canosia WMA is located approximately 10 miles north of Duluth, near Fish Lake Reservoir.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources area wildlife staff are drawing down water levels in Angell, Trettle and East Dyke pools within the Canosia WMA, to prepare the site for water control structure replacement. The current water control structures are in poor condition and are being replaced in order to allow the DNR to effectively control water levels on the WMA for both habitat management and recreation.
WMA users should expect that water access will be limited and more challenging than ordinary this fall. The boat access is dry, but users might be able to find small areas of open water in other places within the WMA this season.
Construction to replace the water control structure is anticipated to occur in the fall of 2024.
For more information, contact Melissa Koelsch, assistant area wildlife supervisor at the Cloquet DNR Wildlife Office, by calling 218-878-5663 or emailing [email protected].
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Proposals also include four other area lakes in the Sauk Rapids area
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reviewing the experimental fishing regulations for channel catfish on the Sauk River chain of lakes as well as Long, North Brown’s, Eden and Mud lakes.
An experimental regulation that increased the possession limit to 10 channel catfish is set to expire in March 2025. The Minnesota DNR is taking public input on whether to allow it to expire or make the regulation permanent. The statewide limit is five catfish. With few anglers keeping more than five catfish on these lakes, there is no clear evidence that the regulation is affecting fish populations. Local anglers have voiced support for the regulation.
A public input meeting will be held 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Richmond City Hall, 45 Hall Ave. SW in Richmond. A short presentation summarizing the results of the last 10 years of data will be presented and attendees will be able to offer comments. For those unable to attend, comments may also be made via the online survey found from the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/fishregs) through Friday, Oct. 11, or by contacting Joe Stewig, Sauk Rapids area fisheries supervisor, by calling 320-223-7867, emailing [email protected], or mailing 1035 South Benton Drive, Sauk Rapids, MN 56369.
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