In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife and habitat management.
Minnesota’s shotgun-only deer hunting zone staying same in 2025, changes coming in 2026
Minnesota’s shotgun-only zone for deer hunting is changing — but not until 2026. The shotgun zone remains in effect this year.
Once the law goes into effect, hunters generally will be allowed to use legal rifles or shotguns throughout the state during the deer hunting season, wherever deer hunting is permitted, unless a county formally passes an ordinance restricting the use of rifles in their county. Counties where all firearms currently are allowed cannot restrict firearm types based on this new law — only counties in the current shotgun zone may choose to remain shotgun-only.
The current zones can be viewed on the printed deer season map available on the DNR hunting regulations webpage (mndnr.gov/regulations/hunting).
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 The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking individuals to collect tree seeds and cones this fall and winter. Seeds and cones are essential for growing the tree seedlings at the State Forest Nursery that are used to reforest thousands of acres across Minnesota each year.
“Each bushel of seed or cones collected helps grow the next generation of Minnesota’s forests,” said Nicole Schafer, DNR seed and cone consultant. “We count on local seed sources and dedicated collectors to keep our reforestation efforts strong.”
The DNR pays for high-quality cones collected from native tree species. Collectors should call their local DNR Forestry office before collecting to confirm which species are needed and to arrange drop-off. Seeds and cones from single yard trees are not recommended. Many yard trees could be cultivars or nonnative varieties, and collecting from just one tree limits genetic diversity.
Current high-demand species and payments:
- Jack pine, $60 per bushel for closed, ripe cones: Collection period Sept. 5–March 1.
- Black spruce, $200 per bushel for closed, ripe cones: Collection period Sept. 15–March
- Red pine, $80 per bushel for closed, ripe cones: Peak collection period was in mid-September but there might be some northern pockets with closed cones still available.
The DNR is currently at capacity for acorns and black walnuts and is not accepting additional quantities of those species this fall and winter.
Cones must be ripe, closed, and free of stems, leaves, and debris. Store collected cones in a cool, dry area and deliver them to a Forestry Office drop-off location as soon as possible to maintain seed quality. Collectors can find additional information about other species, current prices, and collection tips on the DNR’s seed and cone collection webpage (mndnr.gov/seedcone).
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The winter season walleye limit on Upper Red will be a four fish possession limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 inches allowed. This is a reduction from the 2025 open water season, which had a five fish possession limit.
“Our fall assessment indicated that the walleye population continues to be in excellent shape. We are dropping the bag limit to four because the winter fishery is so popular,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager. “The state waters of Upper Red Lake had an even higher number of spawning aged female walleye than last year. We’re also seeing strong numbers of young walleye that are just reaching harvestable size, which should make for exceptional fishing over the next few years.”
The fall gill net catch on state of Minnesota waters was 50.9 walleye per net, the highest since 2014. Netting results showed the lake is full of fish of all sizes, with half the catch between 13 and 16 inches. There were also good numbers of fish in the 17- to 20-inch range.
Walleye management on Red Lake is a collaborative effort between the Red Lake Nation and the Minnesota DNR, governed by a joint harvest plan agreed upon by the Red Lakes Fisheries Technical Committee. The Upper Red Lake Citizen Advisory Committee reviews walleye harvest totals, regulation options and provides recommendations for the state waters of Upper Red Lake.
Complete Upper Red Lake fishing regulations are available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/fishing/upper-red-lake-regulations.html).
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