In This Issue
A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management.
Walk-In Access lands open starting Sept. 1
Beginning Thursday, Sept. 1, hunters can access nearly 29,000 acres of private land across 39 counties in western and south-central Minnesota through the Walk-In Access program, which pays landowners to allow public hunting on their property.
Hunters with a $3 Walk-In Access validation can access these lands from a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset during open hunting seasons between Sept. 1 and May 31. No additional landowner contact is necessary. All Walk-In Access sites are shown in the DNR Recreation Compass (mndnr.gov/Maps/Compass). Digital maps for individual Walk-In Access sites, along more information for hunters, can be found on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/WalkIn).
The Walk-In Access program began in 2011 and funding sources include a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a surcharge on nonresident hunting licenses, a one-time appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature in 2012, and donations from hunters.
Reminder: Deer lottery application deadline Sept. 8
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds firearm and muzzleloader hunters who want to harvest antlerless deer in a deer permit area designated as antlerless permit lottery this hunting season to purchase their license by Thursday, Sept. 8. Hunters who purchase their license on or before this date are automatically entered into the lottery for the deer permit area or special hunt area they declare.
Successful applicants will receive a postcard in the mail authorizing them to take an antlerless deer using their regular license in that antlerless permit lottery area. No application is needed to take antlerless deer in permit areas with either sex, two-deer limit, three-deer limit or five-deer limit designations.
Hunters who want to participate in special firearm or muzzleloader deer hunts also need to apply for permits that are issued through a lottery. That application deadline is also Sept. 8.
More information about designations and regulations for deer permit areas, as well as details about special hunt opportunities, are available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/Hunting/Deer) and in the 2022 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook, which is available in print wherever DNR licenses are sold.
DNR webinars cover early goose hunting, tips on hunting ammo
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites Minnesotans interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to tune in to upcoming webinars that will discuss opportunities to hunt geese in Minnesota before the regular waterfowl season opens, as well as tips on hunting ammunition.
The first webinar is at noon Wednesday, Aug. 24. Nick Trauba, DNR assistant area wildlife manager, will discuss early season hunting opportunities for geese and provide tips on where and how to bag a goose this time of the year. Minnesota?s early goose season is Saturday, Sept. 3, through Sunday, Sept. 18, and there are also special hunting seasons established by the DNR that target high populations of geese in specific areas. Some of these special opportunities happen during the early goose season.
The second webinar is at noon Wednesday, Aug. 31. Kraig Kiger, DNR shooting sports coordinator, and James Burnham, DNR R3 coordinator, will lead a talk on hunting ammunition. The webinar will include two guests from Federal Ammunition: Jon Zinnel, senior manager of conservation and youth education programs, and Eric Miller, production manager of rifle ammunition and components. The group will discuss bullets, options for different game, development of products, and other tips to consider when purchasing ammo.
The webinars are part of the DNR?s Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series, which aims to give participants quick, relevant information on upcoming seasons and events, as well as skills to enjoy these opportunities. The webinars are free but registration is required. More information, including registration information for webinars and recordings of past webinars, is available on the?outdoor skills and stewardship page of the?DNR website?(mndnr.gov/Discover).
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Wild rice waters on Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, White Earth Nation reservations closed to early teal, early goose seasons
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the White Earth Nation have closed all wild rice waters within the boundaries of their respective reservations to all over-water waterfowl hunting during the traditional wild rice harvest. Affected by these closures are the experimental early teal season (Sept. 3-7) and the early goose season (Sept. 3-18).
The DNR advises all waterfowl hunters to be aware of these tribal restrictions and urges hunters who have planned to hunt within the boundaries of the Leech Lake or White Earth reservations to contact each tribe?s natural resource department for more information:
Safety considerations
Since wild rice is ripening at the same time as Minnesota?s early waterfowl hunting seasons, over-water waterfowl hunters are urged to be aware of and cautious about wild ricers no matter where they hunt.
?A safety mindset and mutual courtesy will allow for successful early waterfowl hunting and wild ricing,? said Steve Cordts, DNR waterfowl specialist. ?With water levels low in some areas, scouting ahead is critical for both waterfowl hunters and ricers so they know whether there will be enough water for boats at their desired areas.?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows states to hold an experimental early teal season for up to three years, and 2022 is the second year Minnesota has had this season. Observers will be documenting which species hunters target and shoot. The statewide early goose season has occurred since 1996, with over-water hunting allowed through much of the state since 2003.
?Hunters must hunt safely, and accurately target only the species of allowed teal,? Cordts said. ?With others on the water at the same time, hunters should follow the basic tenets of firearms safety, including knowing with certainty what?s beyond their blinds and decoys before shooting.?
Information to help hunters properly identify waterfowl is available in an illustrated guide contained in the 2022 Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting Regulations (files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/hunting/waterfowl.pdf#page=18). Access to complete information on Minnesota?s waterfowl hunting seasons is available from the DNR?s waterfowl hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl). Complete regulations and the illustrated guide also are available in Hmong, Karen, Somali and Spanish.
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The project will temporarily close the main road into the park
Major portions of Afton State Park will be inaccessible by vehicle for two weeks in September while a bridge repair project takes place on the main road through the park.
The bridge repair will begin on Monday, Sept. 12, with the road expected to reopen on Monday, Sept. 26. During this time, the park office (just east of the park entrance off 70th Avenue) will remain open for vehicle permit and merchandise sales.?
The park?s visitor center, located near the main parking area, will be closed while the bridge is under construction. Campgrounds and lodging also will be closed during the project. The paved trail that runs alongside the main road will be closed because it passes through the construction area.
Vault toilets will be available for visitors who enter the park on foot. Restrooms are also available at the park office.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is recruiting new members to serve on seven key advisory groups related to Minnesota?s natural heritage, the Game and Fish fund, and hunting and fisheries management.? Interested people can sign up on the Engage with DNR website (engage.dnr.state.mn.us/advisory-group-appointment-opportunities).
In addition to the specific knowledge and experience required for each committee, the DNR seeks inclusive and well-rounded advisory committees, encompassing differences including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, life experience, ideas, knowledge and learning styles.
Natural Heritage Advisory Committee
The NHAC advises the DNR on issues relating to sustaining the state?s natural heritage, biological diversity and ecosystem services. The two Game and Fish Fund committees provide citizen oversight of Minnesota?s Game and Fish Fund.
NHAC members make recommendations to help protect high quality prairies, forests, wetlands and other native habitats, and the diversity of plants and animals they support.
NHAC applicants should have knowledge, demonstrated dedication or experience related to natural resource management, conservation biology, ecological education and outreach, and other aspects of Minnesota?s natural heritage.
New member appointments with three-year terms will begin in January 2023 and extend through December 2026. Minnesota residents with interest or expertise in sustaining our state?s natural heritage can apply online until 4:30 p.m. Monday,
Oct. 17.?Interested applicants can learn more by visiting the committee page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/NHAC).
Game and Fish Fund
Each year, the Fisheries Oversight Committee and the Wildlife Oversight Committee review how the DNR spent funds from the Game and Fish Fund during the previous fiscal year. The Budgetary Oversight Committee, an umbrella committee composed of select members from the FOC and WOC, combines those reviews to produce an annual report and spending recommendations.
Minnesota's Game and Fish Fund is the DNR's most important fund for?delivering fisheries and wildlife management?as well as natural resource law enforcement (mndnr.gov/LicenseDollarsAtWork). Nearly $100 million flows in and out of this fund each year. The revenue is primarily the product of hunting and fishing license sales, federal reimbursements and a sales tax on state lottery tickets. DNR?s use of money from the Game and Fish Fund is subject to legislative approval.
Appointees these two oversight committees have a range of experience and a variety of knowledge and interests related to hunting, fishing and trapping. Applicants must have a strong interest in reviewing the proper expenditure of funds received from licenses, permits, stamps and related revenue sources and participating in writing an annual report.
New member appointments with two-year terms will begin January 2023 and extend through December 2024. Any Minnesota resident with interest or expertise in citizen oversight of the Game and Fish Fund may apply online until 4:30 p.m. Monday,
Sept. 19.?Interested applicants can learn more by visiting the committee page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/GameFishOversight).
Hunting and Fishing committees
Seats are currently available on several committees that advise the DNR about important fisheries and wildlife topics.
The application period continues until 4:30 p.m. Sept. 19?for the Deer Advisory Committee, the Mille Lacs Fisheries Advisory Committee, the Minnesota R3 Council (R3 stands for recruiting, retaining and reactivating hunters and anglers), and the state?s five fisheries work groups (bass, catfish, northern pike and muskellunge, panfish, and walleye).
Members will serve two- to three-year terms and must commit to attending at least three of the four videoconference meetings their committee has annually. Detailed committee and application information for each group is available on the DNR website:
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 DNR Enforcement Division Regional Training Officer Brett Oberg presented Will Purvis, of Vernon Center, with the 2021 DNR firearms safety volunteer instructor of the year award at Game Fair earlier this month. Photo credit: Minnesota DNR
Will Purvis, of Vernon Center in Blue Earth County, is the 2021 DNR firearms safety volunteer instructor of the year. He received the award earlier this month during Game Fair in Ramsey.
Purvis, a staunch conservationist who has spent decades working to get kids and adults alike interested in the outdoors, has been a volunteer firearms safety instructor since 1996. During that time, he?s certified more than 650 students in firearms safety. He?s also recruited many other volunteers ? including members of his family ? to ensure there are enough instructors to meet the increased demand for safety training.
Purvis is a longtime member of the Garden City Rod and Gun Club, volunteers with Minnesota State High School League trap shooting, and has been a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader.
?There are many firearms safety volunteers deserving of recognition, so for Will to be chosen among them is a true testament to the impact he?s had in creating a legacy of safe hunters and outdoor enthusiasts,? said Capt. Jon Paurus, safety training education manager for the DNR Enforcement Division. ?His dedication to connecting people with the outdoors in a safe way is both admirable and inspirational.?
The Garden City Rod and Gun Club nominated Purvis for the award, saying, ?Will is a very well-respected member of our area that has never sought personal recognition for his efforts in any endeavor, including hunter education.?
More than 4,000 volunteer instructors teach DNR firearms safety courses across the state. Since the firearms safety program began in 1955, more than 1.3 million students have been certified. DNR firearms safety certification is required of anyone born after Dec. 31, 1979 to buy a hunting license in Minnesota. Youth ages 11 and older can attend a firearms safety certification course and receive their certificate. For 11 year-olds who complete the course, their safety certificate becomes valid at age 12.
For more information on the dates and locations of available safety courses, see the Hunter Education/Firearms Safety Certification for Youth page of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/Safety/Firearms) or call 800-366-8917.
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed reports of zebra mussels in Lake Henry, near Alexandria, and Red Rock Lake, near Hoffman. Both lakes are in Douglas County.
A Lake Henry property owner contacted the DNR when his daughter found an adult zebra mussel while swimming in the lake. A DNR invasive species specialist found another adult zebra mussel near the location of the initial report. Connected Lake Agnes and other unnamed connected waters also will be listed for zebra mussels.
A Douglas County aquatic invasive species technician contacted the DNR after finding about 10 young zebra mussels attached to settlement samplers near the Red Rock Lake public access. Settlement samplers are solid surfaces placed in the water that people can regularly check for attached zebra mussels to aid in detection. A DNR invasive species specialist found two additional zebra mussels attached to an adjacent dock during a follow-up survey.
Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:
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Clean watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
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Drain all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
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Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
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Never release bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
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Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days before moving them from one water body to another.
These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:
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Decontaminate watercraft and equipment ? find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/Decon).
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Spray with high-pressure water or rinse with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
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Dry watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.
People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist (mndnr.gov/Invasives/AIS/Contacts.html) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species.
More information is available on the aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/AIS).
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