Minnesota Mixed Bag: DNR prepares to fly elk surveys in northwest – Outdoor News
St. Paul — The Minnesota DNR will conduct aerial elk surveys in the next few weeks when conditions allow. DNR staff will survey the Kittson County and Grygla elk herds in northwestern Minnesota and the border elk herd in both Minnesota and Manitoba.
The surveys typically are conducted each year during the winter, weather and snow cover permitting. Aerial survey information is used to monitor elk populations and help the DNR make decisions about future elk management and harvest regulations.
“We currently have sufficient snow cover to start our elk surveys,” Doug Franke, DNR area wildlife supervisor and elk survey coordinator, said last week. “We will start the surveys soon and hopefully be completed within two weeks.”
DNR pilots will fly surveys during daylight hours at an altitude of approximately 200 to 300 feet.
The DNR is also asking for help from those who have recently seen elk in their area. People are encouraged to contact their local DNR office with sighting information:
People may also document observations by using the elk sightings tool on the DNR website.
MORE COVERAGE FROM MINNESOTA OUTDOOR NEWS:
Farm bill extension gets cold reception from conservation groups
CWD endemic in southeast trio of deer permit areas in Minnesota
DNR to Discuss Management Plans for Lake Henry in Le Sueur County
Cleveland, Minn. — The Minnesota DNR has scheduled a public hearing for people to learn more about and comment on plans to manage a water-control structure on Lake Henry, located in Le Sueur County.
The DNR is proposing to designate Lake Henry as a wildlife lake, which would allow temporary drawdown of the lake to enhance in-lake habitat.
The public hearing is 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, at the Cleveland American Legion. The hearing will allow participants to ask questions and provide formal comments to the DNR about the Lake Henry management plan.
In addition to the public hearing, the DNR will be accepting written comments through Monday, Feb 17. People may contact Tim Koppelman, assistant area wildlife manager, at (507) 386-3923 or by email at [email protected]. Mail correspondence may be sent to the Nicollet DNR Wildlife Office, 501 9th St., Nicollet, MN 56074.
BHA ‘Icebreaker’ Event is Jan. 25 at Breezy Point
Breezy Point, Minn. — The Minnesota Hunters and Anglers chapter’s North Country Icebreaker event is scheduled for Jan. 24-26 at Breezy Point Resort.
The event will feature ice fishing, spear fishing, demonstrations, wild game cooking, and more. There also will be seminars, raffles, and a prime rib buffet Saturday evening.
Tickets are $75 for adults; kids 16 and under are admitted free. For more information, including a full schedule of events and hotel accommodations, visit here.
Wisconsin DNR Confirms CWD In Wild Deer In Menominee County
Madison, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the first positive test result for chronic wasting disease in a wild deer in Menominee County in northeast Wisconsin. The deer was a hunter-harvested 2-year-old buck and is the first confirmed wild CWD-positive deer detected in Menominee County. The deer was harvested within 10 miles of the Oconto and Shawano county borders.
The existing baiting and feeding ban for Menominee County, which was initially implemented in response to a CWD detection within 10 miles of the county, will start over and last three years.
Correction to Rothstein Column
In Ryan Rothstein’s column in the Dec. 27, 2024, edition of Outdoor News, he states the following: “We don’t allow party hunting for ducks, turkeys, or pheasants. Why do we allow it for deer?”
In fact, party hunting is allowed for small-game hunters in Minnesota. For clarification, per the 2024 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations: A member of the party may take more than an individual limit, but the total number of small game taken and possessed by the party may not exceed the combined limits of members of the party.”
Further, party hunting is not allowed for migratory birds (ducks, for instance).
We apologize for the error and any confusion it may have caused.
