Oct. 30, 2025



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*Minnesota DNR News
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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

Oct. 30, 2025




*For more information:*

Contact the DNR Information Center

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





In This Issue

* Successful hunting season starts with safety [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* Starry stonewort confirmed in Buffalo Lake in Wright County [ #link_1491411977526 ]

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Successful hunting season starts with safety

With hundreds of thousands of hunters set to converge on the state’s fields and woods for the Saturday, Nov. 8 firearms deer opener, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that safe hunts are successful hunts.

Hunting is a safe activity that leads to lifelong memories when hunters prepare ahead and take safety precautions. In the days before the firearms deer season kicks off, the DNR urges hunters to:


* Brush up on the key tenets of safe firearms handling, and make sure their firearms are in good working order.
* Ensure they have sufficient blaze orange or blaze pink clothing.
* Ensure their hunting party has a plan on where everyone will be hunting.
* Know where your target is and what is beyond. It’s important to be alert for both hunters and non-hunters in the area.
* Check all tree-stand-related equipment for wear and tear, including safety harnesses, haul lines, the stand itself, and steps or ladders. Practice climbing into and out of the stand before the season starts.

“The firearms deer season is a tradition unlike any other in Minnesota,” said Col. Rodmen Smith, director of the DNR Enforcement Division. “Most hunters will end the season with good memories, and some will have venison in the freezer. Our goal is that the number of people who end the season injured, or worse, is zero. Prioritizing your safety, and that of the people around you, is the only way to make that happen.”

The leading cause of injury among hunters is accidents involving tree stands. The number of hunting related firearms fatalities has dropped significantly over the past 60 years – largely due to safety training requirements for young and new hunters – but even one fatality is too many.

Read more about safe firearms handling [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/safety/firearms-safety.html), tree stand safety [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/safety/treestand), and blaze clothing requirements [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/regulations/hunting/blaze-clothing.html) on the DNR website.

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Starry stonewort confirmed in Buffalo Lake in Wright County

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of the invasive algae starry stonewort in Buffalo Lake, located in and adjacent to the city of Buffalo in Wright County.

City staff contacted the DNR after a contractor found suspected starry stonewort near the south public access, one of three public accesses on Buffalo Lake. A DNR invasive species specialist confirmed sparse densities of starry stonewort near the south access. Starry stonewort was not immediately observed in other areas of the lake. The DNR will conduct a more extensive search of the lake and will work with local entities to assess potential management options.

Starry stonewort is usually identified by the star-shaped white bulb-like structures on the plant for which it is named. These bulbils typically become visible in late summer. People can find more information about how to identify starry stonewort on the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/invasives/aquaticplants/starrystonewort).

Since it was first found in Minnesota in 2015, starry stonewort has been confirmed in 38 waterbodies in the state. Starry stonewort can form dense mats, which can interfere with recreational uses of a lake and compete with native plants. The algae primarily spreads when fragments have not been properly cleaned from water-related equipment. 

Starry stonewort has never been eradicated from any U.S. lake or river, but treatment or careful removal from waterbodies can help reduce the risk of spread and relieve associated nuisance impacts. Early detection is key to effective management.

Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:


* *Clean* watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
* *Drain* all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
* *Dispose* of unwanted bait in the trash.
* *Never release* bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
* *Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days *before moving them from one waterbody to another.

These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:


* *Decontaminate *watercraft and equipment – find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/decon).
* *Spray* watercraft and equipment with high-pressure water or *rinse* with water if high-pressure water is not available.
* *Dry* watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another waterbody.

People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html) if they think they have found starry stonewort or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.

More information is available on the aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/ais).

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*Minnesota Department of Natural Resources  |  mndnr.gov [ [link removed] ] *

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