Minnesota Wildlife

Find public land and share your input

Minnesota has a wealth of public land to explore. If you’re looking online for public land, one place to check is the Minnesota DNR Recreation Compass, as it shows a variety of land types, including wildlife management areas, Walk-In Access sites, state forests and more. We also have online tools to search for hunter walking trails and ruffed grouse management areas.

Did you know you can search for recently added wildlife management areas using our WMA finder? Just check the “new lands added/acquired in the last year” box.

Additionally, over the past few years, we’ve been working on master plan updates for our major unit WMAs. Currently, we’re starting the process to update the master plan for Roseau River WMA and are looking for your input, and we have a draft plan available for Carlos Avery WMA that you can review and comment on, and you can attend a public meeting and webinar about the plan update.

Also make sure to check out this recent DNR webinar all about Minnesota WMAs and aquatic management areas.

Comment on pheasant, duck action plans

Both pheasants and ducks will get updated action plans from the Minnesota DNR. We are seeking feedback on updated versions of the duck and pheasant action plans through Friday, Oct. 11.

Each action plan outlines short-term strategies to help meet long-term conservation goals. The five-year plans enable the DNR and conservation partners to more frequently assess and adjust activities in response to changing conditions that impact pheasants and ducks. Find out more and comment by visiting the waterfowl management webpage and pheasant management webpage.

Photo courtesy of Kalli Hawkins

Deer season reminders

Deer hunters have a lot to look forward to this time of year. Archery season is open, youth and early antlerless seasons are coming up this month, and November firearms seasons are around the corner. Here are a few deer season reminders in brief:

• Archery hunters, please check the chronic wasting disease requirements and available sampling options for the deer permit areas where you hunt. Find DPA-specific information by visiting the make a plan tool.
• Deer carcass movement restrictions are in place for 14 deer permit areas located in southeastern and north-central Minnesota and the south metro area. Deer permit areas 604, 605, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655, 661, 679 and 684 together form the chronic wasting disease management zone. Hunters are not allowed to take whole deer carcasses outside the management zone until a “not detected” test result is received. Read more about this on the DNR website.
• Minnesota’s youth deer season will take place statewide Thursday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 20. And also on Oct. 17-20, hunters can participate in an early antlerless-only deer season in select permit areas.

For general deer hunting information, a great first stop is the DNR deer hunting webpage.

“First doe of the 2024 season” photo courtesy of Paul Burr

You can share your wildlife observations

Several community science efforts are underway and you can participate!

Deer hunters can use the DNR’s online log for deer and other wildlife sightings. The DNR uses the information to supplement population estimates, which are an important tool for managing wildlife.

The DNR invites upland bird hunters to voluntarily log details about their hunts with an upland bird hunting diary. The diary is available in electronic form using web browser or app versions that are available on the DNR website. Hunters can also print off a paper version of the diary and enter their hunts online.

Finally, the Offal Wildlife Watching Project with the University of Minnesota Extension is aimed at better understanding how hunter-provided deer gut piles (also called offal) are used by Minnesota wildlife. The project asks volunteer hunters to set up remote cameras on the offal they leave in the field to capture images of wildlife. The project also relies on volunteers to help classify and identify wildlife in the many thousands of captured images.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Pennesi

Sharing stories from new hunters

We’re sharing stories from hunters who’ve taken someone new hunting and participated in the Hunter Mentor Pledge. Here’s one from Elise Shepley of Minneapolis, who shared this story from November 2023:

My mentor, Drew Swartz, brought up hunting in a conversation we were having. As an advocate for animal welfare and conservation, I’d long held an interest in exploring hunting. A clean harvest of an animal that has lived a natural life, to me, is the most humane form of meat consumption; more so when done in a way that also contributes to the balance of ecosystems. Despite these interests, I never had the opportunity nor, more importantly, the necessary guidance available to try hunting. Once he saw that spark of interest in me, that guidance is exactly what Drew provided.

As a good mentor should, Drew walked me through every step to make sure I was prepared to hunt. The obvious first step: hunter safety. From there, Drew ensured that I was equipped for my hunt, walking me through what I would and would not need for a safe and comfortable experience. This included my comfort using the firearms that we would hunt with. This was not only my first foray into hunting, but also the first time I’d used an actual firearm. After several lessons on how to hold the gun, testing of my gun safety, and confirmation that I felt confident and capable to handle the gun in the field, we planned for my first hunt.

Small game may not be the most exciting, but when you are first learning to hunt, they are perfect (and squirrel apparently fries up quite nicely!!). As I’d never fired a gun before, my mentor wanted to ensure that I knew how it felt and that I was comfortable with the gun. After several test runs and some very well peppered paper targets, my confidence in my abilities was substantially increased. However, I think my hesitancy showed when the first squirrel appeared. Drew ensured that I always was aware that I had no obligations to pull the trigger if I felt in any way unready to do so. This made me feel comfortable in requesting that he demonstrate for me first, both so I could be sure I was ready to follow suit and because, no matter how many videos you watch, it is different to see a hunt in real life.

Then it came time for my squirrel. With my mentor by my side and feeling ready, I lined up my first shot and, with the pull of the trigger, harvested my first game ever. I don’t think I can really capture my feelings at that moment — something of a mix of adrenaline, fulfillment and even empowerment. It sounds corny, but the feeling was made even better when I saw how happy and excited Drew was for me and this first major milestone in my hunting experience. While the rest of the day was less eventful, and filled with plenty of lessons on hunting, it was a perfect day of hunting.

Needless to say, I think I’m hooked! My mentor and I already have plans for my next hunting experience: pheasants.

The Hunter Mentor Pledge from the Minnesota DNR and Pheasants Forever encourages hunters to take someone hunting who has never hunted or hasn’t hunted for a few years. The program is open to all types of hunting in Minnesota that are legal and in-season. Participation is simple and you can find all the details on the Minnesota DNR take a friend hunting webpage.

Photo courtesy of Elise Shepley