Minnesota Wildlife

Waterfowl hunters: Take precautions for avian flu

With some waterfowl hunting seasons starting Saturday, Sept. 3, the DNR is advising hunters to take precautions for avian influenza when handling harvested birds. While the virus presents a low risk to humans, it is important to avoid contact with sick birds and be mindful that virus may also be transported by your hunting equipment.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service makes the following recommendations for hunters to protect themselves from avian influenza:

• Do not handle or eat sick game.
• Field dress and prepare game outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
• Wear rubber or disposable latex gloves while handling and cleaning game.
• When done handling game, wash hands thoroughly with soap or disinfectant, and clean knives, equipment, and surfaces that came in contact with game.
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling animals.
• All game should be thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before being consumed.?

More details: Check the DNR?s avian influenza webpage. If you hunt waterfowl and have backyard poultry, plan for added biosecurity measures?(PDF) to keep your flock healthy.

Watch for wild ricers during early waterfowl seasons

Minnesota waterfowl hunters taking part in early teal (Sept. 3-7) and goose hunting (Sept. 3-18) seasons in September need to be aware of and cautious of wild rice harvesters, because wild rice is ripening at the same time as these early waterfowl hunting seasons.

Additionally, 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.

Are you are planning to participate in these hunts, or the youth waterfowl hunt on Saturday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Sept. 11? Please be aware of tribal restrictions within the boundaries of the Leech Lake or White Earth reservations. And be aware of and cautious about wild ricers no matter where you hunt.?

More details: Please read more in this DNR news release

Hunters, please do not shoot marked research bears

The Minnesota bear hunting season opened today 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 DNR are monitoring 25 radio-collared black bears across the state, especially in bear hunting zones 25, 27, 45 and 451, and in parts of the no-quota zone. Most of the radio-collared bears live in or near the Chippewa National Forest, Camp Ripley Military Reserve, the Pillsbury State Forest, and the Brainerd/Baxter area. The bears also range widely from these sites.

More details: Learn about some research findings gained from collared bears

Check out these new outdoors skills webinars?

We?ve got a whole new lineup of webinars scheduled for this fall ? check them out! Next up, they discuss dressing for the elements and grouse hunting basics. Other webinar topics will include birding, wildlife research and photography, opportunities at Minnesota state parks including how to get active in some of Minnesota?s amazing natural places and Free Park Day on Friday, Nov. 25, fat-tire biking in the winter, and fishing for northern pike. The webinars are free but registration is required.

More details: Register for the webinars

Photo courtesy of?Kalli Hawkins

Reminder: Deer lottery application deadline Sept. 8

Firearm and muzzleloader hunters who want to harvest antlerless deer in a deer permit area designated as antlerless permit lottery this hunting season must purchase their license by Thursday, Sept. 8. Hunters who want to participate in special firearm or muzzleloader deer hunts also need to apply by Sept. 8 for permits that are issued through a lottery. 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.

More details: Get deer hunting regulations