Sept. 29, 2025



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*Minnesota DNR News
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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

Sept. 29, 2025




*For more information:*

Contact the DNR Information Center

by email  <[email protected]>or call 888-646-6367.





In This Issue

* DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* Fall is a great time to make your home, property Firewise [ #link_1491411977526 ]
* Minnesota DNR tree seedling sales open Oct. 1 [ #link_1491412003165 ]

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DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac

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

Minnesota DNR seeks input on year-round bass season proposal

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking for input on new fishing rules that would allow for a year-round bass season that includes a period for harvest and a period for catch-and-release fishing.

The proposed expedited rules would adjust the inland waters fishing regulations by creating a year-round bass season. Portions of the year would be catch-and-release only while the other parts of the year would allow for bass harvest.

All the current harvest periods would remain the same, with catch-and-release-only bass season periods expanding to include periods that until now were closed to bass fishing. If enacted, the new rule would go into effect for the 2026 fishing season.

The Minnesota DNR is taking input on this proposal through Thursday, Oct. 23, and more information is available on the Minnesota DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/input/rules/fisheries/continuous-bass-season.html). Input can be submitted to Shannon Fisher at [email protected] <[email protected]> or 651-259-5206, or via U.S. mail to Bass Season Rules/Shannon Fisher, Box 20, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155.

Hunter walking trails provide access to public hunting in northern Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources maintains hunter walking trails as easy ways to travel by foot through wildlife management areas, state and federal forests, and other public hunting lands. Hunter walking trails wind through prime habitat for ruffed grouse, woodcock, wild turkey and deer. There are more than 600 miles of hunter walking trails located throughout the northern half of the state. Many of the trails are gated, allowing foot traffic only.

Because not all hunter walking trails are listed on the hunter walking trail tool [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/hunting/hwt), hunters are encouraged to call area wildlife offices [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/areas/wildlife) for more information about trails, as well as hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities and tips.

Fall turkey hunting begins soon

The Minnesota fall turkey hunting season offers hunters a challenge and another way to experience the outdoors. Fall turkey season is open Saturday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Nov. 2.

Hunters are allowed to take one turkey of either sex during the fall season. Fall turkey hunters may use a crossbow, bow or shotgun afield. Fall turkey licenses are available for purchase online [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/buyalicense), by calling 888-665-4236 or in person anywhere Minnesota DNR licenses are sold.

More information about fall turkey hunting is available on the Minnesota DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey) and in a recorded Minnesota DNR outdoor skills webinar [ [link removed] ] (youtube.com/watch?v=EVS-PoNTEew).

Cisco and whitefish sport netting to open on northern lakes

Netting for harvesting cisco, also referred to as tullibee, and whitefish for personal use will be open this fall on designated lakes. Whitefish and cisco sport netting is open to Minnesota residents only. About 700 Minnesotans participate each year.

Netting schedules vary by lake and are based on expected water temperatures. As the water temperatures cool, game fish head to deeper water while cisco and whitefish come to shallow water for fall spawning.

Some lakes that are more susceptible to factors that impact water temperatures will open and close to netting with a 48-hour notice posted at lake accesses, other public places, and the DNR website. Other lakes are open to netting based on the set netting schedules listed on the DNR website.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources allows netting when there is little chance that fish other than cisco and whitefish will be caught. Game fish incidentally taken in nets must be returned to the water immediately.

Complete regulations, including designated lakes, netting schedules and requirements related to use of gear and invasive species, are available on the Minnesota DNR website [ [link removed] ] (files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/whitefish-tullibee.pdf).

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Fall is a great time to make your home, property Firewise

Fall is a great time to complete Firewise projects around homes and properties to reduce the risk of damage or loss from a wildfire. Firewise is a national program that teaches people how to prevent catastrophic loss due to wildfires.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers guidance to home and cabin owners through its Firewise program. People can request a free homeowner’s kit on the DNR’s Firewise webpage [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/firewise/homekitform.html). It includes a do-it-yourself home assessment, which can help identify areas on which to focus.

Research shows most structures burned in wildfires catch fire due to traveling embers, not from direct flames. By minimizing flammable materials around their property that embers can easily ignite — such as wood piles, dry leaves under a deck, or needles on a roof or gutters — homeowners can reduce the risk of damage or loss from an approaching wildfire.

“If property owners reduce the likelihood that a burning ember finds a suitable fuel, they greatly reduce the likelihood that their home or cabin will ignite,” said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist.

Firewise projects help create a protected space around a property. People can start near their home and then move outward as time and resources allow. Projects include:


* Clearing gutters of needles and leaves.
* Pruning branches close to the roof and chimney.
* Installing metal screening to prevent sparks from getting in eaves or under wooden decks.
* Checking that house numbers are visible from the road.
* Ensuring driveways are at least 12 feet wide and have a 14-foot clearance to facilitate emergency vehicle access.

Becoming Firewise can make a big difference, especially for Minnesotans who have experienced damage from summer blowdown events or have diseased or dying trees on their property. These can add additional fuel, which can increase fire spread and intensity.

Additional Firewise projects can help slow the spread of fire as it approaches. Removing brush, thinning trees, keeping lawns mowed and green, and pruning the lower branches of conifer trees are all effective practices. Tackling Firewise projects can help protect not only homes, but communities, too.

To share the work — and the benefits — neighbors can work together to build a Firewise community. Projects depend on the property, available resources and time. Learn more about the Minnesota Firewise Program [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/firewise) on the DNR website.

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Minnesota DNR tree seedling sales open Oct. 1
A seedling next to a boot

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ State Forest Nursery will open seedling sales for spring 2026 at 9 a.m. on Wednesday., Oct. 1. Landowners across Minnesota can order native, bareroot tree seedlings for their properties. Planting trees provides many benefits, including creating wildlife habitat, protecting soil and water, and supporting a healthy forest products economy.

This year, the DNR is launching a new online ordering system to make purchasing easier and more efficient. Customers can view seedling inventory online to see exactly what’s in stock and place orders right away. Customers are strongly encouraged to create a LoginMN [ [link removed] ] account (webapps.dnr.state.mn.us/nursery) so they can track status, view order history and pay online.

“We’re excited to launch a system that makes ordering simple and convenient for landowners,” said Sarah Ebert, State Forest Nursery supervisor. “Planting native trees helps build healthier and more resilient forests for all Minnesotans to enjoy.”

The nursery has a strong supply of oak seedlings this year, offering landowners a chance to grow one of Minnesota’s majestic trees. Oaks provide food and shelter for hundreds of native species; their acorns feed deer, turkeys, squirrels and many other wildlife.

In addition to oaks, the nursery offers more than 20 other native coniferous and deciduous tree species. The minimum order is 300 seedlings, which can be customized in increments of 100 per species. Depending on site conditions and goals, an acre typically accommodates 300 to 700 bareroot seedlings.

Landowners are encouraged to contact a local DNR forester for site-specific advice or to learn about potential cost share [ [link removed] ] funding (mndnr.gov/woodlands/cost-share.html).

Seedling sales remain open through Friday, April 3, 2026, or until stock is sold out. For more information and to create a LoginMN account before sales open, visit the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/nursery).

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