In This Issue

• Fish and Wildlife Almanac
• DNR proposes classifying 13 invasive plants, animals as prohibited to protect Minnesota?s resources and economy
• DNR certifies new catch-and-release state record for muskie
• 2023 invasive aquatic plant management grant applications open Nov. 10
• Zebra mussels confirmed in Lake Shetek in Murray County

Fish and Wildlife Almanac

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

Small game license sales remain below 10-year averages

The number of small game hunters in Minnesota continues to decline along a long-term trendline. The number of small game licenses sold in 2021 was 233,901, down 4% from the previous year and 7% below the 10-year average.

Hunters who did pursue waterfowl, grouse, and pheasants had success rates similar to the 10-year averages, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources? hunter mail survey.

The survey covers estimated harvest and number of hunters for two dozen species. The survey asked small game license buyers whether they hunted, what species they hunted and harvest numbers. Using the 2021 survey results, the DNR estimates the following harvest and hunter numbers:

• Canada goose ? Harvest of 218,200 geese, down 13% from the 10-year average of 251,800 geese. There were 36,100 hunters, down 26% from the 10-year average of 48,800 hunters.
• Ducks ? Harvest of 590,000 ducks, down 16% from the 10-year average of 702,800 ducks. There were 56,600 hunters, which was 21% below the 10-year average of 71,900 hunters.
• Ruffed grouse ? Harvest of 206,700 grouse, down 27% from the 10-year average of 281,900 grouse. Approximately 57,300 hunters pursued grouse in 2021, 26% below the 10-year average of 77,900 hunters.
• Pheasants ? Pheasant stamp sales (78,538 stamps) were 4% below the previous year?s sales but similar to the 10-year average of 78,873 stamps. Harvest was estimated at 210,300 roosters, which was slightly above the 10-year average of 200,400 roosters. There were 49,000 hunters, which was 18% below the 10-year average of 60,000 hunters.

The complete small game hunter survey report is on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/Wildlife/Research/Wildlife-Research-Publications.html#Reports).

Hunters: Register your deer

Hunters are required to register every deer they harvest before processing, before antlers are removed and within 48 hours after taking the animal. Hunters can register deer online, via phone or in person. Information from deer registration is essential for the DNR to track and manage deer populations. Detailed registration instructions for all methods are available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/Hunting/Deer/HarvestReg.html).

Deer carcass movement restrictions in place in
14 deer permit areas?

Deer carcass movement restrictions are in place for 14 deer permit areas located in southeastern and north-central Minnesota and the south metro area.

DPAs 604, 605, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655, 661 and 679 together form the Chronic Wasting Disease management zone. Hunters are not allowed to bring whole deer carcasses outside of the management zone until a ?not detected? test result is received. DPAs 255, 343 and 344 form a control zone and whole deer carcasses cannot be moved out of a control zone or the adjacent management zone until a ?not-detected? test result is received. Hunters are allowed to move whole deer carcasses in between contiguous management zone DPAs or from a control zone DPA into the management zone.

If hunters do not submit their deer for sampling or want to transport a deer outside of these zones before getting a test result, they must debone or quarter their deer, properly disposing of the head and spinal column inside the zones. The DNR provides dumpsters for hunters to use for this purpose.

These restrictions are part of a comprehensive strategy to keep Minnesota?s deer, elk and moose healthy by limiting the spread of disease. Hunters can find details for the DPA in which they hunt by visiting the DNR?s CWD page (mndnr.gov/CWD) and using the ?find your requirements for your DPA? tool.

Deer harvest numbers available online

Hunters, media and anyone interested in deer harvest data can find current deer harvest figures and harvest reports for past years on the DNR deer reports and statistics page (mndnr.gov/Mammals/Deer/Management/Statistics.html). The page also features an interactive map and graph that visualizes the data.

DNR webinars cover preserving your harvest, winter fat-tire biking

The DNR invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to tune in to upcoming webinars that will discuss preserving your harvest, and winter fat-tire biking.

The first webinar is at noon Wednesday, Nov. 2. Kraig Kiger, DNR shooting sports specialist, will discuss what to do with a harvest after a successful hunting or fishing trip. The webinar will cover ways to preserve your harvest and provide tips for preparing it.

The second webinar is at noon Wednesday, Nov. 9. Gunnar Carlson from Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists will share some of the great opportunities to bike year-round in Minnesota. From trail etiquette to snow grooming, Carlson will share the joy of winter fat biking and tips on getting started.

The webinars are part of the DNR?s Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series. The webinars are free but registration is required. More information is available on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/Discover).

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DNR proposes classifying 13 invasive plants, animals as prohibited to protect Minnesota?s resources and economy

Action would expand environmental protections

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting public comment through Dec. 9 on its proposal to classify 13 high-risk invasive aquatic plants, fish and invertebrates as prohibited. The DNR classifies invasive species as prohibited to prevent their introduction and spread in Minnesota, and to protect the state?s environment, economy, natural resources and outdoor recreation.

The reasons for listing the species are summarized below. More information on these species can be found on the AIS Classification page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/Invasives/AIS/Classification.html).

• Jumping worms have negative impacts on plants and soils. While some species are known to be present in some Minnesota urban areas, most of Minnesota is not known to have any of the jumping worm species. Listing these species as Prohibited Invasive Species would make sales of jumping worms illegal, strengthen regulations to ensure worm species that are allowed to be sold are not contaminated with jumping worms, and reduce their potential spread in the state. The DNR will provide best management practices for cleaning equipment, heat treatment of compost and other actions to companies that work with soil, mulch, compost or other materials that may harbor jumping worms.
• The non-native subspecies common reed has negative environmental impacts, including forming monocultures in wetlands and reducing habitat for native plant and animal species. The proposed rule would not apply to Minnesota?s native subspecies of common reed. As a result of the impacts of the non-native subspecies of common reed, the DNR invasive species program received federal funding from a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to implement statewide control through a comprehensive plan.
• Mitten crabs, Nile perch, snakehead fish and walking catfish are proposed for regulation in Minnesota for consistency with the federal injurious wildlife species list.
• Yellow floating heart, tench, golden mussel and marbled crayfish are all identified as ?least wanted? species by the Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force. Adding these regional priority species to Minnesota?s list would help to prevent their introduction and spread.
• Golden clam can have negative economic and environmental impacts. Golden clam accumulations can block water intake pipes and interfere with substrate needed by native species. Populations of golden clams have already been found in some Minnesota waters; classifying this species as prohibited will help prevent further spread in the state.
• Tubenose gobies are all non-native to North America and have the potential for negative impacts. The western tubenose goby is already listed as a Prohibited Invasive Species in Minnesota and there are several other species in the genus that are difficult to distinguish from one another. By listing the genus as a whole, we can more effectively prevent the introduction and spread of other tubenose goby species.

• Eastern mosquitofish. Eastern and western mosquitofish have both been stocked for mosquito control and have both been invasive in places they were introduced. Western mosquitofish are listed as Prohibited Invasive Species in Minnesota. Adding eastern mosquitofish would reduce the risk that this close relative to the western mosquitofish would be introduced to the state.

Additional details about each species, why they are proposed to be listed as Prohibited Invasive Species and answers to frequently asked questions are available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/input/rules/dnr-rulemaking-prohibited-invasive-species.html).

The proposed rules and notice of intent to adopt expedited rules were published in the Oct. 31 Minnesota State Register (mn.gov/admin/bookstore/register.jsp). Written comments on the proposed rules must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9. Comments should be submitted to the attention of Laura Van Riper, Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road, Box 25, St. Paul, MN 55155-4025 or via email at [email protected]. All information as part of a public comment during formal rulemaking proceedings is public data, including name and contact information.

A copy of the proposed rules is available by emailing [email protected].

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DNR certifies new catch-and-release state record for muskie

An angler caught and released a new Minnesota state record muskellunge on Mille Lacs Lake

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources certified the state catch-and-release record muskie, a 58.25-inch fish caught by Eric Bakke of Princeton. The previous record was a tie for 57.25-inch muskies, which were caught on Lake Vermilion in 2019 and 2021.

Bakke was fishing on June 11 on Mille Lacs Lake with fishing partner Jon Blood and caught the huge fish while trolling with a footlong muskie lure. After a minute or two of trying to reel in the fish, Blood was able to net it and they measured, photographed and released the fish in less than a minute.

?To be able to target and catch fish of this caliber has been one of the great passions of my life,? Bakke said.

Bakke said he?s been fortunate to be able to learn from and fish with some great anglers, and that joining Muskies Inc. helped him understand the importance of handling and releasing these big fish with care and purpose.

?In order to catch more and bigger fish you have to put them back: ?let them go, let them grow,?? Bakke said. ?This record should and will be broken in the next year or two if we all make the choice to keep all those big fish alive and swimming for the next person to experience and catch a fish of their lifetime. I?d like to say thank you to all of the people who have caught that fish over the past 20-plus years, took care of her and put her back. She is still out there for all of you to go try to catch again!?

The DNR announces new state records in news releases, on social media and on the DNR website. Find current records and guidelines for each type of state record on the DNR record fish page (mndnr.gov/RecordFish).

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2023 invasive aquatic plant management grant applications open Nov. 10

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers grants to lake associations and other groups for invasive aquatic plant management projects.

Invasive aquatic plants are non-native plants that can potentially reduce native plant diversity and create recreational nuisance in lakes. The DNR?s invasive plant management goal is to minimize harmful effects caused by invasive plants while also protecting the natural resources and their use.

Applications will be accepted starting midnight Thursday, Nov. 10. The application deadline is 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12.

In a change from prior years, invasive aquatic plant management permit applications will not be required at the time of grant application. Instead, grantees will apply for permits after receiving a grant, as a step in their grant work plan. Receiving a grant will not guarantee a permit.

Application materials and details about the grant program will be made available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/grants/aquatic_invasive/control-projects.html) on Nov. 9.

Questions can be directed to DNR aquatic invasive species research and grants coordinator Jake Walsh, [email protected], or to DNR regional invasive species specialists (mndnr.gov/Invasives/AIS/Contacts.html).

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Zebra mussels confirmed in Lake Shetek in Murray County

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a report of zebra mussels in Lake Shetek, near Currie in Murray County.

Lake Shetek is connected downstream by a meandering stream channel to Lake Sarah, where zebra mussels were confirmed in 2018. The DNR is considering which of several other water bodies connected to Lake Shetek might also be listed for zebra mussels.

A lake service provider contacted the DNR in September after finding a single adult zebra mussel attached to a rock in Lake Shetek. No additional zebra mussels were found during a follow-up search by the DNR at that time. Another adult zebra mussel, this time attached to a boat lift, was found and reported by the lake service provider in a different area of the lake in October.

?Lake property owners and lake service provider businesses play an important role in detecting invasive species, by carefully examining boats, docks and lifts when they are being removed from the water at the end of the season,? DNR Invasive Species Unit Supervisor Heidi Wolf said.

Lake property owners should carefully look for invasive species on the posts, wheels and underwater support bars of docks and lifts, as well as any parts of boats, pontoons and rafts that may have been submerged in water for an extended period.

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 (mndnr.gov/Decon).
• 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).
• Dry watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another waterbody.

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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