Minnesota Mixed Bag: Deadline to apply for an elk tag is Saturday – Outdoor News
St. Paul — Hunters have through Saturday, June 15, to apply for one of the 10 elk licenses offered this year by the Minnesota DNR. Licenses offered this year include two landowner permits, two 10-year history permits, and six general lottery permits. All three seasons will be conducted from Saturday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 29.
There are currently three recognized herds in northwestern Minnesota: Grygla, Kittson Central and Caribou-Vita. The Grygla area zone remains closed to state-licensed elk hunters.
Hunting season details including license types and how to apply are available on the DNR’s elk hunting webpage.
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STARRY STONEWORT CONFIRMED IN POKEGAMA LAKE IN ITASCA COUNTY
St. Paul — The DNR has confirmed the presence of the invasive algae starry stonewort in Pokegama Lake, near Grand Rapids in Itasca County.
Specialists from Itasca County and the DNR found starry stonewort interspersed with native plants on and around a boat ramp on the southwest end of the lake. Dr. Ken Karol with the N.Y. Botanical Garden provided positive confirmation through photographs.
The DNR has updated signage at public accesses and is working with Itasca County to provide decontamination and expanded watercraft inspections. Follow-up surveys are being conducted to determine starry stonewort distribution in that part of the lake.
Starry stonewort has now been confirmed in 30 water bodies in Minnesota. It was first confirmed in Minnesota in 2015. Starry stonewort is an algae that looks like some native aquatic plants.
Information on how to identify starry stonewort can be found on the DNR website.
WISCONSIN DNR ANNOUNCES 2024 SPRING TURKEY SEASON RESULTS
Madison, Wis. — The Wisconsin DNR has announced preliminary totals for the 2024 spring turkey-hunting hunt. Wisconsin turkey hunters registered 50,435 birds this season, making it the fourth-highest spring harvest on record – a 22% increase from the five-year average.
A total of 246,068 authorizations were available this spring, and hunters applied for or purchased 224,630 of them. The regular season is divided into six separate one-week periods, from April 17 to May 28. These separate periods help maximize hunter opportunities while minimizing interference for a more sustainable harvest.
The deadline to apply for the 2025 spring turkey season is Dec. 10.
UPPER MISS REFUGE ACCEPTING WATERFOWL GUIDE APPLICATIONS THROUGH JULY 1
Winona, Minn. — The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is accepting waterfowl hunting guide special use permit applications for the 2024 waterfowl hunting season.
Eight commercial waterfowl hunting guide permits will be available for 2024 through the end of the 2028 waterfowl hunting season. Successful applicants will be awarded the opportunity to guide waterfowl hunters for up to five years. Annual renewal of the permit is required.
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Applications must be postmarked or time-stamped in email no later than July 1, 2024. Interested waterfowl hunting guide applicants should obtain a copy of the Program Requirements and Stipulations for Waterfowl Hunting Guide Services and a permit application by contacting Wildlife Refuge Specialist Stephanie Edeler via email at [email protected] or by mail at the address listed below.
Citizens can request an application or ask questions by calling 507-494-6221. Completed applications may be submitted via email to [email protected] or via mail to USFWS Attn: Waterfowl Guide Application, 102 Walnut Street, Suite 204, Winona, MN 55987.
MDHA’S NORTH SUBURBAN CHAPTER HOSTS GUN RAFFLE
Blaine, Minn. — The North Suburban Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association will host a gun raffle June 22, from 1-3 p.m., at Lucy’s Burgers in Blaine. The raffle will include firearms, a crossbow, and other raffle items. Forty tickets will be sold per raffle. For more info, call Ron at (612) 718-4937 or Richard at (612) 558-4508.
