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Published in the Duluth News Tribune
September 1, 2009
A new “shining” law has gone into effect in Minnesota, aimed at reducing poaching opportunities and minimizing the disturbance of rural residents.
Deer shining is “freezing” deer in bright lights to temporarily immobilize them. Recreational shining is legal at times for viewing wildlife. However, previous statutes made it too easy for people to poach wildlife while posing as recreational shiners, according to Department of Natural Resources officials.
The DNR met with stakeholder groups to determine how to curb abuse.
“Their collective opinion is that deer shining is a statewide problem,” Capt. Rod Smith, a DNR regional enforcement manager, said. “It’s also one of the most common complaints to law enforcement officers.”
by John Myers
published in the Duluth News Tribune, August 19, 2009
Minnesota wildlife managers should keep deer numbers to a minimum in Northeastern Minnesota but probably can continue holding a limited moose hunting season for the near future, the state’s moose advisory committee reported Tuesday.
The 18-member committee, which for nine months has studied the state’s declining moose population, presented its findings to Minnesota Department of Natural resources officials Tuesday in Duluth.
The state’s Northwestern moose herd collapsed from thousands of animals to just a few dozen in the 1990s, and now mortality rates in Northeastern Minnesota’s moose herd have biologists worried the state may lose the big animal altogether. More moose are dying, and often for reasons not clear to biologists, than is considered safe to continue the population.
By Sam Cook
Published in the Duluth News Tribune, August 2, 2009
Last fall’s decreased deer harvest in Northeastern Minnesota and a harsher than normal winter have prompted wildlife officials to lower the number of over-the-counter either-sex deer permits in Northeastern Minnesota this fall.
Those permits have been issued liberally in recent years to bring the deer population down to goals set after broad public input meetings, said Jeff Lightfoot, Department of Natural Resources regional wildlife manager at Grand Rapids.
This fall, 10 deer permit areas across Northeastern Minnesota have been designated “lottery” units, up from just one last fall. In those units, hunters will have to apply by Sept. 10 in a lottery for permits to harvest antlerless deer.
 I guess this should have been written ealier in the year seeing how many States deer hunting season’s are already under way.
But better late than never!
I receive quite a bit of email about Deer hunting on public land. Having just came back from a Controlled Hunt on Public Land myself, here are some tips for you that are heading out to hunt Public Land Deer.
- Get a map. Preferably a topo map and an aireal photo of the area where you’ll be hunting. You can find good topo maps on the Internet at several areas or contact the USGS for an index. A good map will show you many things. Some of the things you’ll be wanting to look for are: where are other hunters parking, areas that will funnel deer into a tight area such as saddles in ridges, potential feeding and beddeing areas, waterways, old roads, etc.
From the Duluth News Tribune
published Nov. 6, 2008
 BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakotans who ate wild game killed with lead bullets appeared to have higher lead levels than those who ate little or no wild game, according to a study released Wednesday by the North Dakota Department of Health.
The study examined the lead levels in the blood of more than 700 state residents. The elevated lead levels were not considered dangerous, but North Dakota officials say pregnant women and children younger than 6 should avoid eating venison killed using lead bullets. Those groups are considered most at risk from lead poisoning, which can cause learning problems and convulsions, and in severe cases can lead to brain damage and death.
From the NorthlandNewsCenter.com
published Oct. 14, 2008
Minnesota conservation officers are literally coming under fire this hunting season.
A recent DNR report says three game wardens have been nearly hit by accidental gun discharges.
One of those incidents happened near Grand Marais when a moose hunter accidentally fired his rifle just before an officer started checking licenses.
Russ Isola is a Minnesota DNR trained gun safety instructor.
He thinks all hunters should take a safety course that would reduce the dangers conservation officers and other hunters face in the field from improper gun handling.
“The hunter education program definitely corrects that!” says Isola.
He states it’s not young kids that are unsafe.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources , Grand Forks Herald
Published: 09/30/2008
CONSERVATION OFFICER WEEKLY REPORT
09-29-08
District 1 – Baudette area
CO Larry Milbridge (Warroad) investigated timber wolf depredation complaints this week and seasonal boat maintenance and storage were completed. Grouse hunters are seeing more birds. The St. Jude’s Hospital trail ride at Bemis Hill brought in over 150 people riding horses and raised over $9,000 for sick children.
CO Jeff Birchem (Baudette) worked on an over limit investigation and conducted follow up on a deer out of season investigation. ATV activity was monitored and grouse hunters were found to be having fair luck.
From the Duluth News Tribune
published Sept. 21, 2008
Wisconsin’s waterfowl season opens Saturday and the state’s hunters will have the maximum 60-day season allowed by federal regulations.
“Wisconsin waterfowlers should have a good hunting season,” said Kent Van Horn, migratory game bird ecologist for the state Department of Natural Resources, in a prepared statement. “Overall, populations of waterfowl game species are healthy and abundant.”
The duck hunt in the northern zone opens at 9 a.m. Saturday and continues through Nov. 25.
The two main changes this year are a closed season for canvasback ducks and dual framework for scaup, also called bluebill, with a daily bag limit of one scaup for 40 days and two scaup for 20 days, according to a Wisconsin DNR news release. In the northern zone, the daily bag limit is two scaup from Oct. 18 through Nov. 6.
From the Duluth News Tribune
published Sept. 16, 2008
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer reports for Tuesday, Sept. 16
District 5 – Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) spent time on wetland issues within the station. Checked grouse hunters and archery deer hunters, very little activity with the rainy weather. Bear hunting activity starting to slow a bit. Handled an injured eagle complaint, the eagle was captured and later sent on a plane to Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota.
From the Duluth News Tribune
published Sept. 14, 2008
Minnesota bear harvest down
Minnesota black bear hunters have shot only about half as many bears as at the same time last year, said Dave Garshelis, bear project leader for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. As of Sept. 11, hunters had killed 1,267 bears this fall, compared with 2,452 at the same time last year, Garshelis said.
Minnesota’s bear season opened Sept. 1 and continues through Oct. 14. Garshelis suspects the abundance of natural foods in the woods has kept bears from visiting hunters’ baits as often as in some years.
“There’s a lot of natural food, and a lot of it was delayed all summer,” Garshelis said. “Stuff that shouldn’t be around is around now — berries like cherries.”
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