March 10, 2025



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*Minnesota DNR News
*




*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

March 10, 2025




*For more information:* <[email protected]>

Contact the DNR Information Center
by email  <[email protected]>or call 888-646-6367.





In This Issue

* DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* DNR postpones elk research project in northwest Minnesota [ #link_1491411977526 ]
* Warmer weather prompts seasonal road, trail closures [ #link_1491412003165 ]
* Regulation adjustment coming for yellow perch fishing on Mille Lacs Lake [ #link_1491412051810 ]

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DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac

"A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife and habitat management."

Minnesota DNR hosts webinars on ticks, bluebird recovery

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to check out the spring program schedule for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webinar series.

On Wednesday, March 12, Minnesota DNR safety program staff will talk ticks. Minnesota is home to 13 different tick species, but three species are of concern for transmitting tick-borne illnesses. Staff will discuss the blacklegged, American dog and Lone Star ticks and the tick-borne illnesses they have the potential to transmit. Staff will also discuss different prevention methods and strategies to minimize risk of tick bites throughout the year.

Then, on Wednesday, March 19, Wally Swanson with the Bluebird Recovery Program will discuss how bluebird populations are doing and what people can do to help them. Bluebird numbers declined dramatically during the past century, with the main reasons being loss of habitat, loss of suitable nesting sites, and competition with non-native house sparrows and starlings.

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 [ [link removed] ]_ (mndnr.gov/discover) for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.

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DNR postpones elk research project in northwest Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is postponing the elk research project in northwest Minnesota due to scheduling delays and unfavorable conditions to safely and successfully capture and collar elk.

Capture efforts were planned for January 2025, when temperature and snow conditions are typically optimal for spotting and capturing elk. Scheduling delays by the contracted helicopter capture company pushed captures to mid-March and currently, the project area has no or minimal snowpack. Both near- and long-term forecasts predict above average temperatures and inadequate snow accumulation.

“The decision to postpone the project was difficult and made out of an abundance of caution for the health and well-being of the elk,” said Amanda McGraw, DNR deer, moose and elk scientist. “Not only were we facing challenging conditions due to higher temperatures and lack of snow cover, but the delays had pushed the capture window into the late-term pregnancy period for cow elk, where capture and handling present the greatest risk to both cows and calves.”

The project is rescheduled for the winters of 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. Researchers plan to capture 25 adult cows and up to 15 adult bulls each of these two winter seasons and fit the animals with GPS collars that will collect their locations every three hours and alert researchers of potential mortality events. Biological samples will also be collected to assess herd health and genetic diversity.

Cow elk will also be fitted with transmitters so researchers know when they give birth, allowing researchers to quickly locate newborn calves. Up to 25 calves each spring will be fitted with GPS collars to monitor their survival and assess what habitat types they are using.

The research will allow managers to better understand the state’s elk population and address interest in maintaining and strengthening the resiliency of the elk population and the potential for future growth of Minnesota’s elk herds.

Funding for the elk research project comes from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources and approved by the Minnesota Legislature. The DNR is also providing in-kind support.

More information on elk research and management in Minnesota or how to sign up for the DNR Elk Notes quarterly newsletter is available at the DNR elk management webpage [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/elk).

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Warmer weather prompts seasonal road, trail closures

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has begun temporarily closing some DNR-managed roads and motorized trails as seasonal melting makes them too soft to support vehicle traffic without causing damage. The duration of the temporary closures in state forests, state parks, recreation areas, and wildlife management areas depends on local weather and surface conditions, which are difficult to predict.

“Spring thaws create wet, unstable conditions. Closures protect our roads and trails from damage and costly repair, and keep people and equipment safe, too,” said Matt Huseby, DNR forest roads program coordinator. “Be sure to check the DNR website for road and trail condition updates, respect closures, and use good judgement wherever you travel.”

For information on road and trail closures, visit the DNR’s road closure webpage [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/closures). Information is updated weekly on Thursdays by 2 p.m. Signs are also posted at entry points and parking lots when temporary closures are in effect. Roads that can handle vehicle traffic during the spring thaw will remain open but might have vehicle weight restrictions.

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Regulation adjustment coming for yellow perch fishing on Mille Lacs Lake

Starting March 11, the daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake will be reduced from 20 to five. This regulation will be in place through Nov. 30.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is implementing this adjustment to the daily and possession limit to help maintain a good perch population for the future. Yellow perch are a key species in the Mille Lacs Lake ecosystem and young yellow perch are a primary food source for predators (especially walleye). Maintaining an abundance of older perch will result in more young being produced this spring and preserve harvest opportunities for next year.

“We are pleased that the perch fishing on Mille Lacs this winter has been good for many anglers,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager. “With annual perch harvest never more than 7,000 pounds since 2012, this year’s rebound is a positive sign for the health of the lake.”

State-licensed anglers share the perch harvest on Mille Lacs with Ojibwe Tribes that retain fishing rights by treaty. To conserve the fishery, an annual safe harvest level is cooperatively established by the state and the Tribes through a government-to-government, co-management process. Each party then sets fishing regulations to stay within their share of the harvest. As of Feb. 23, the state has harvested more than 43,000 pounds of perch, exceeding its share of the harvest of 36,500 pounds.

“The state and our Tribal partners will intensify efforts to evaluate the Mille Lacs perch population and future sustainable harvest plans. The response we see in the perch population to this year’s higher harvest will be an important part of that,” Parsons said.

Complete Mille Lacs Lake fishing regulations and regularly updated data on state-licensed angler catches of walleye, northern pike and yellow perch are available on the Minnesota DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/millelacslake).

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