In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife and habitat management.
Bear hunt lottery applications due May 2
Prospective bear hunters have until Friday, May 2, to apply for a bear hunting license from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Applications for the 2025 season can be submitted online, at any license agent or by telephone at 888-665-4236.
A total of 4,605 licenses are available across the 15 quota areas where licenses are limited for the 2025 season, which opens Monday, Sept. 1, and closes Sunday, Oct. 12. Lottery winners will be notified by Sunday, June 1. The deadline to purchase bear hunting licenses awarded by lottery is Friday, Aug. 1. Any remaining unpurchased licenses will be available over the counter starting at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
An unlimited number of bear licenses will be sold over the counter for the no-quota area that includes east-central and far northwest Minnesota. No-quota licenses are valid only in the no-quota area.
Hunters with either a quota or no-quota license who are interested in taking a problem bear should contact the DNR wildlife manager for their area(s) of interest to be added to a hunter contact list for any opportunities that might arise.
Complete instructions about how to apply for a bear hunting license, maps of permit areas and a listing of permit availability for each area are available on the Minnesota DNR website.
Minnesota DNR hosts webinar on exploring SNAs, the role of state fish hatcheries
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, April 30, hear about scientific and natural areas with Kelly Randall, SNA outreach coordinator. SNAs are lands that protect natural features, including native plant communities, rare species and geological features. Randall will also share ideas for activities that are encouraged at SNAs, and the rules to follow if people plan a visit to one of these special natural places.
Then, on Wednesday, May 7, join Genevieve Furtner, DNR St. Paul fish hatchery supervisor, for a talk about fish production and a tour of the DNR St. Paul fish hatchery that will show more about the important role hatcheries play in fisheries management.
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 for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.
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Anglers looking for local fishing information before the Saturday, May 10 fishing opener can check the regional fishing outlooks from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The outlooks provide details about fishing opportunities and conditions in various areas of the state, including for specific lakes, rivers and streams.
“Based on reports from across the state, we’re seeing continued good year classes of walleye on many lakes,” said Brian Nerbonne, central region fisheries manager. “We encourage folks to get out and enjoy some early season walleye fishing. And you can always try catching other in-season fish if the walleye action is slow where you’re fishing on opener.”
Back bays of lakes are great for finding abundant bluegill and crappie. The bass catch-and-release season begins in most of the state on May 10, and provides additional opportunity. Northern pike are almost always willing to bite, and there are all kinds of other native species out there like sucker species, freshwater drum and others that can provide a lot of action and good food fare.
The regional fishing outlooks include details about waters throughout each region and can be found on the Minnesota DNR website .
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