In This Issue
Contact: Maggie Snyder, news release and media specialist, 651-259-5446.
Spread the joy of the outdoors to friends, family
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has a variety of budget-friendly holiday gift options for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, abilities and interests. These gifts include subscriptions to the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, gift cards, Nature Store items, and lifetime hunting and fishing licenses.
Minnesota Conservation Volunteer
MCV magazine is packed with beautiful nature photography and compelling stories about Minnesota’s outdoors, making a subscription the ideal gift for nature lovers. Recipients receive a one-year subscription to the magazine and a card announcing the gift. Purchasers can contribute any amount to gift an annual subscription. The suggested donation for an annual subscription is $25. Gift subscriptions can be purchased on the gift page of the MCV website (cambeywest.com/subscribe2/?p=MCV&f=gift).
Minnesota state parks gift card
State park gift cards can be used for camping and lodging, state park vehicle permits, firewood, equipment rentals, tours, I Can! programs, and more. E-gift cards are delivered to the purchaser immediately and can be shared with the recipient when the time is right. Physical gift cards are sent via US Postal Service mail and take 10-14 days to arrive. Gift cards can be purchased on the state parks gift card page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/giftcard).
Lifetime hunting and fishing licenses
Give a gift that truly lasts a lifetime: a lifetime hunting or fishing license! The DNR offers reduced rates on lifetime licenses for those under age 16 and over 50. Plus, if license prices increase or the license holder moves out of state, lifetime licenses remain valid. People can treat themselves, as well as buy a license for someone else. More information is available on the Minnesota DNR website about licenses for Minnesota residents (mndnr.gov/licenses/lifetime/residents) and nonresidents (mndnr.gov/licenses/lifetime/nonresidents).
Licenses can be ordered by calling the DNR License Center at 877-348-0498 to receive a mail application or downloading an application form and mailing it to the DNR License Center with payment. Costs vary depending on recipient age and license type and processing takes about three weeks. For more information, including an application form, go to the lifetime hunting and fishing license page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/licenses/lifetime).
Nature Store
Nature Stores in state parks have an assortment of Minnesota state park apparel, jewelry, mugs, books, games and more. Merchandise is different at every park and some Nature Store locations are bigger than others. Head to the Nature Store page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/state_parks/nature_stores.html) to find a nearby location. Some items are also available online (mndnr.gov/naturestore), though these can only be shipped to Minnesota addresses. Please allow 10 business days for delivery.
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Contact: Erik Hildebrand, Minnesota DNR wildlife health supervisor, 651-539-3311.
CWD late-season hunt takes place in select DPAs Dec. 20-22
A deer harvested near Wheaton in western Minnesota during the opening weekend of firearms season has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
The adult male deer was harvested within deer permit area 271 along the Minnesota-South Dakota border. To date, no wild deer with CWD had been previously detected in DPA 271, nearby DPAs or near the Minnesota border in eastern South Dakota.
“This discovery in western Minnesota, while unwelcome news, highlights the importance and necessity of our disease surveillance efforts and allowing hunters to test deer harvested anywhere in the state if they would like to,” said Erik Hildebrand, wildlife health supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Following the detection near Wheaton, the Minnesota DNR will implement measures outlined in its CWD response plan, which calls for three consecutive years of testing to help determine the potential prevalence of the disease in DPA 271 and surrounding DPAs. The Minnesota DNR also will work with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to coordinate CWD surveillance and management activities in the vicinity.
Within DPAs where CWD has been detected and confirmed, the Minnesota DNR uses multiple management actions designed to help mitigate disease spread, including carcass movement restrictions, a deer feeding and attractants ban and, sometimes, increased hunting opportunities with increased bag limits. In 2024, DPA 271 will not be included in the CWD late-season management hunt that takes place Dec. 20-22. The adult male deer in DPA 271 that tested positive for CWD was harvested during the breeding season when deer are known to travel longer distances. Before deciding whether to remove additional deer in a CWD management hunt, the DNR will conduct surveillance in the fall of 2025 to better understand disease prevalence in the DPA.
CWD late-season hunt is Dec. 20-22 in select DPAs
Deer hunters can participate in a late-season CWD management hunt Friday, Dec. 20, through Sunday, Dec. 22. Deer permit areas open to this CWD management hunt are 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648 and 649.
The Minnesota DNR establishes CWD management hunts to assess disease prevalence and to help mitigate the risk of CWD transmission by reducing the number of deer. To encourage participation in the management hunt, there is flexibility in the licenses and permits that are valid and there are no restrictions on the number of deer that a hunter may take.
Although the bag limit for this hunt is unlimited, 98% of successful hunters during the late-season CWD hunt in 2023 took only one or two deer.
Details about licenses and permits, mandatory CWD sampling, and other important information for hunters, is available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/cwd/cwd-hunts.html).
General information about CWD
Results of CWD tests completed thus far are available on the Minnesota DNR’s CWD test results webpage (mndnr.gov/cwdcheck). Additional test results for deer harvested in 2024 will be added to this webpage as they become available. The DNR will directly notify any hunter who harvests a deer that tests positive.
CWD affects cervids, which include white-tailed deer, moose and elk and has no known cure. It has been found in more than two-thirds of the states in the U.S.
More information about CWD and what the DNR is doing to limit disease spread and protect the health of Minnesota’s white-tailed deer is available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/cwd).
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Contact: Wade Miller, state trails and snowmobile program consultant, 651-259-5643
As snowmobile riders prepare for the upcoming riding season, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds riders of important dates, safety tips and registration requirements. While the snowmobile riding season can start as early as Dec. 1, as yet this year there are no locations in the state with suitable conditions for trail grooming. Several conditions must be met before trails are open, groomed and ready for travel:
- The ground must be frozen. Where trails cross wetlands, 15 inches of ice are needed to support the weight of trail groomers.
- Adequate snow cover of about 12 inches must be on the ground to allow for trail packing and grooming.
- Trails must be cleared of fallen trees, signs put in place and gates opened.
While snowmobilers await the arrival of more snow and groomed trails, now is a good time to make sure registrations are current and snowmobiles are in good operating order, review safety training, and check local trail maps for route changes or new trails.
Registrations for new snowmobiles must be purchased in person at a deputy registrar of motor vehicles or at the DNR License Bureau in St. Paul. Renewals of registrations and state trail passes for snowmobiles not registered in the state of MN can be handled in person at these same locations or on the DNR’s licenses and vehicle registrations website (mndnr.gov/licenses).
The DNR shares information about snow depth and state-managed trail conditions on its DNR snow depth and groomed trail conditions webpage (mndnr.gov/snow_depth). Local trail conditions are often posted online by tourism associations, chambers of commerce and volunteer snowmobile clubs. To find the nearest club, visit the Minnesota United Snowmobiler’s Association website (mnsnowmobiler.org).
Important snowmobile riding safety tips include:
- Be weather aware and don't ride in adverse weather conditions.
- Check the trail conditions and weather forecast for the destination before leaving home.
- Measure ice depth before riding on lakes and rivers. The DNR recommends a minimum of 5 to 7 inches of new, clear ice for snowmobiles.
- Always stay on designated snowmobile trails. Venturing off trails can result in accidents, loss of trails from landowners, and trespass violations.
- Don't drink alcohol and ride. Alcohol is a factor in more than 60% of fatal accidents in Minnesota.
- Always wear a quality DOT-approved helmet and facemask.
An interactive snowmobile trail map can be found on the DNR’s snowmobiling website (mndnr.gov/snowmobiling). Paper trail maps can be requested from the DNR Information Center. Email [email protected] or call 888-646-6367 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
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