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Aug. 21, 2025
Stay informed! Here’s a summary of upcoming wildlife and habitat management activities and ways you can discover, explore and experience Minnesota’s outdoors.
Let’s talk about wildlife
 “Evening deer” courtesy of Gregory Anderson
Interested in wildlife? You’re invited to chat with DNR wildlife managers in local DNR offices across the state from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. today, or by phone during these same hours.
Conversation topics can include anything related to wildlife. Hunters might have local questions about public land and how to access it, or about how wildlife is faring in their area. Bird watchers might want to hear about wetland and prairie restoration projects taking place nearby. Others might benefit from discussing techniques to manage damage caused by wildlife to gardens or crops.
While the Aug. 21 office hours provide dedicated time for conversations about wildlife, DNR staff are always happy to talk with members of the public throughout the year. To find an area wildlife office location and contact information, visit the Minnesota DNR website.
Check the new hunting regulations
 Male spruce grouse courtesy of Alyssa Sheffield
The 2025-26 Minnesota hunting regulations are here. Be sure to check out what’s new on page 12, which includes multiple updates for deer hunting, changes to spruce grouse limits, details on wild turkey hunting information and more. The online version is available on the DNR website. Prefer a hard copy? Get booklets at local license retailers or pick up a copy at the Minnesota State Fair (just swing by the DNR Building).
Avoid shooting ear-tagged, radio-collared research bears
 The Minnesota bear hunting season opens Sunday, Sept. 1, and the DNR is once again asking hunters to avoid shooting marked research bears. These bears are marked with distinctively large, colorful ear tags and wear radio collars.
Researchers with the Minnesota DNR are monitoring 50 radio-collared black bears across the state, especially in bear hunting zones 27, 45 and parts of the no-quota zone. Most of the radio-collared bears live in or near the Chippewa National Forest, Camp Ripley, the Brainerd/Baxter area, and Duluth. However, the bears also range widely from these sites. All but three of these bears are female. More information for hunters is available in a news release and photos of collared research bears and some research findings gained from them are available on the DNR bear hunting page.
Spring waterfowl population counts available
 Courtesy of Gregory Gerhart
2025 counts yielded mixed results in comparison to 2024 numbers. Here’s the breakdown:
- Canada geese: 140,000, which is 32% above the 2024 estimate and 8% below the long-term average
- Blue-winged teals: 64,000, which is 60% below the 2024 estimate and 69% below the long-term average
- Mallards: 164,000, which is 16% above the 2024 estimate and 28% below the long-term average
- Other ducks (such as ring-necked ducks, wood ducks, gadwalls, northern shovelers, canvasbacks, redheads and buffleheads): 189,000, which is 119% above the 2024 estimate and 7% above the long-term average
Biologists suspect the last few years’ dry conditions led to fewer blue-winged teal using wetlands in Minnesota, preferring to settle outside the state and reducing the estimate this spring.
Habitat is a driving factor for waterfowl populations. Learn more about the DNR’s 2025-2030 Duck Action Plan, which will address waterfowl habitat management needs, on the DNR waterfowl page.
Conservation grants available
 Photos of Keller Habitat Enhancement Project with Ramsey County Parks & Recreation
We are taking applications for the Conservation Partners Legacy grant program! The Conservation Partners Legacy program funds conservation projects that restore, enhance, or protect forests, wetlands, prairies, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife in Minnesota.
Grant requests may range from $5,000 to $500,000 with a maximum total project cost of $1,000,000. Nonprofit organizations and government entities are eligible to apply, and a 10% match of non-state origin is required. Learn more and apply by Sept. 16. More information is available on the DNR website.
Funding for this program comes from the Outdoor Heritage Fund.
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Share your thoughts on how fees support natural resources and outdoor recreation
 Courtesy of Joe Gould, who noted it was his dog Coya’s first grouse.
The DNR wants to hear your thoughts on the use of fees to support natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities in Minnesota!
Please take the 4 The Outdoors questionnaire to share your values and preferences. Your input will be used to help select, design and implement improvements to DNR’s fees in the future. Access the questionnaire here.
For more information on the 4 The Outdoors initiative, visit the Engage with DNR webpage.
Wild rice harvest outlook posted
 Each year we round up wild rice condition reports from DNR area wildlife staff and shallow lakes specialists across the state. The reports are available on the DNR wild rice page.
Wild rice harvesters going out during the 2025 season will find mixed conditions. Early reports from Minnesota DNR and Tribal biologists indicate highly variable conditions across central and northern Minnesota, with individual waters ranging from poor to great. Numerous rainstorms this season raised lake and river levels and washed out many rice stands. But there are also many rice beds that survived the storms.
Every year, DNR wildlife staff remind harvesters of the importance of scouting waters before the season begins. This year scouting will be especially important to find sites with harvestable beds. Higher water levels on lakes and rivers means most rice stands should be accessible by canoe.
Wild rice harvesters are allowed to take ripe wild rice each year between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30, but Minnesota’s green rice law makes it illegal to harvest unripe or “green” rice, even within the dates of the harvest season. So although rice beds may look like they are ready, ricers must make sure the grain is ripe and falling easily from the stalk before attempting to harvest it.
If you’re looking for timely updates on wild rice each year — especially when we post the conditions outlook — make sure to sign up for our wild rice newsletter and check out the most recent newsletter.
Share your wildlife and hunting photos
Do you have any hunting or wildlife photos you want to share? Consider uploading them using the DNR photo uploader. We use many of these photos in email newsletters, social media, our webpages or other communications.
 Photo courtesy of Daniël Cronk who noted, “Sometimes you can expect the unexpected. This moose walked through the greater prairie-chicken lek and caused quite a thrilling moment for both myself and the prairie chickens.”
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