Apply for turkey permits in Mille Lacs, Carlos Avery or
Whitewater WMAs by Feb. 17
Turkey hunters have from Wednesday, Feb. 1, through Friday, Feb. 17, to apply for turkey hunting permits for the A-C spring hunting seasons in Mille Lacs and Carlos Avery wildlife management areas and the A-B seasons in Whitewater Wildlife Management Area.
In addition to a turkey license, a permit is required for those hoping to bag a tom turkey with a firearm in one of these WMAs during early seasons. Turkey firearm permits for these WMAs are distributed via a lottery system. In a change this year, there is no permit required to hunt Whitewater WMA during the C season.
Turkey licenses will go on sale March 1 for several hunting seasons from mid-April to the end of May. Turkey hunting season dates and details for 2023 are available on the DNR website.
DNR asks for public input about deer populations
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking for public input on deer population goals in 23 deer permit areas in eastern and south-central Minnesota. To provide input, people can share their thoughts through Monday, Feb. 13 using an online questionnaire, by mailing or emailing comments, or by attending an in-person public meeting.
The targeted DPAs this year are:
- DPAs 152, 155, 156, 157, 159, 172, 183, 221, 222, 225, 248, 249, 604 in the East Central Uplands goal block. A meeting for this goal block will be held from
6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, in the auditorium at the Pine Technical and Community College, 900 4th SE in Pine City. - DPAs 219, 223, 224, 227, 229, 235, 236, 285, 338, 605 in the Sand Plain/Big Woods goal block. A meeting for this goal block will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the Dakota B Room at Dakota County Technical College, 1300 145th East in Rosemount.
A recorded webinar about the goal setting process and complete details about how to contribute input via online questionnaire, email or mail are available on the DNR website.
DNR webinars cover native mussels, burbot fishing
The DNR invites people interested in fishing, wildlife and outdoor skills to tune in to upcoming webinars that will discuss mussels that are native to Minnesota and burbot fishing.
The first webinar is at noon Wednesday, Feb. 1. Madeline Pletta, the DNR’s lead mussel propagation biologist, will discuss the importance of Minnesota’s native freshwater mussels and how the DNR is restoring mussel populations across the state.
The second webinar is at noon Wednesday, Feb. 8. Carl Pedersen and Jody Derks, both fisheries specialists with the DNR, will cover some basic biology as well as ways to fish for burbot, also known as eelpout. Burbot are becoming of increased interest to many anglers for good reason: They are great fighters and can be very tasty.
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.