DNR Confiscated hunting, fishing equipment auction

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will hold an auction of confiscated hunting and fishing equipment on Saturday, April 29, beginning at 9 a.m. The auction items are from people who forfeited their equipment after committing serious game violations. The last auction was in 2014 and there is a large inventory available.

The public auction will be at Hiller Auction Service, 10785 261st Ave., Zimmerman.

Items offered for sale include, but are not limited to: firearms, bows, tree stands, fishing rods and reels, tip-ups, traps, trail camera, spotlights, scopes and spears. There are 387 firearms, 100 bows, 280 other items.

Inspection of items will be available on Friday, April 28, from 1 to 4 p.m., and at 7 a.m. the day of the auction. Once the auction begins, there will be no access to firearms.

All equipment is sold as is, including all defects or faults, known or unknown. Items cannot be returned once they have been purchased. Buyers may bring their own cases and there will be cases available for purchase to transport firearms.

Anyone purchasing a firearm will be required to pass a background check.

Revenue from the auction goes to the Game and Fish Fund, the DNR's most important fund for delivering fish, wildlife and law enforcement programs. It is used, among other things, to manage 5,400 fishing lakes, 1,400 Wildlife Management Areas and support 150-plus field conservation officers.

A list of firearms and bows being offered for sale is available by visiting the auction website at www.hillerauction.com/04292017.html

Tentative 2017 North Dakota Hunting Season Opening Dates

To help North Dakota hunters prepare for hunting seasons in 2017, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department annually provides its best estimate for opening dates for the coming year.

Dates become official when approved by governor’s proclamation. Tentative opening dates for 2017 include:

Spring Turkey - April 8

Deer and Pronghorn Bow, Dove, Mountain Lion - September 1

Sharptail, Hun, Ruffed Grouse, Squirrel - September 9

Youth Deer - September 15

Youth Waterfowl - September 16

Early Resident Waterfowl - September 23

Regular Waterfowl - September 30

Pronghorn Gun - October 6

Youth Pheasant - October 7

Pheasant, Fall Turkey - October 14

Mink, Muskrat, Weasel Trapping - October 28

Deer Gun - November 10

Deer Muzzleloader - December 1 

Deer hunters encouraged to buy license early

With nearly 500,000 firearms deer hunters in the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages hunters to purchase their licenses early to avoid long lines and any potential system issues associated with the high sales volume. The 2016 Minnesota firearms deer season begins Saturday, Nov. 5.

“Don’t wait until the last minute to buy a deer license. There can be long lines of people waiting to buy licenses in the days before deer opener. Last year we sold more than 145,000 licenses the Thursday and Friday before opener,” said Steve Michaels, DNR licensing program director. “Buy early and you can spend more time getting ready to hunt and enjoying time with family and friends.”

Deer licenses can be purchased at DNR license agents across Minnesota, by phone at 888-665-4236 or online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense. There are additional fees for telephone and internet transactions. Deer licenses and tags ordered by phone and internet take three to five business days to arrive, so hunters who choose these options should allow enough time for delivery. Hunters must have a valid deer license and tag in their possession when hunting deer.

Hunters need to be familiar with deer hunting regulations, which are available at any DNR license agent or online at www.mndnr.gov/regulations/hunting. License questions should be directed to the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367.Maintaining quality habitat to support an appropriate population level is good for deer, deer hunters and the habitats that sustain them. Deer populations, which vary in density from place to place and year to year are influenced by the severity of winter weather. Deer are ecologically, socially and economically important in a state where hunting and wildlife watching generate more than $1.3 billion in annual economic impact.

Hunters: Blaze orange clothing required

With Minnesota’s small game hunting season underway, conservation officers (CO) with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources report some hunters not wearing required blaze orange clothing.
 
“The blaze orange requirement is for safety,” said CO Marty Stage of Ely. “One hunter said that he wasn’t very far from his home, to excuse him from needing blaze orange.”

Making a blaze orange fashion statement this fall might not get you on the best-dressed list, but it just might save your life.

“Wearing blaze orange clothing is a safety requirement to hunt or trap during Minnesota’s small game season or firearms deer season,” said Jon Paurus, DNR enforcement education program coordinator. “It’s important to be seen by others.”
 
Small game seasons: At least one visible article of clothing above the waist must be blaze orange when taking small game, except when hunting migratory birds from a blind or on the water, wild turkeys, raccoons or predators, when hunting by falconry, when trapping (outside deer seasons) or when hunting deer by archery while stationary.

Deer season: The visible portion of at least one item of a cap and one item of outer clothing above the waist, excluding sleeves and gloves, must be blaze orange when hunting or trapping during any open season where deer may be taken by firearms (including special hunts, early antlerless, youth seasons and muzzleloader). Blaze orange includes a camouflage pattern of at least 50 percent blaze orange within each square foot.

“The failure to wear to wear blaze orange puts a hunter in jeopardy of not being seen by someone who does not take the time to properly identify their target and what’s beyond it,” Paurus said.

Paurus recommends faded blaze orange garments be replaced.

“Blaze orange clothing is a tremendous aid in helping hunters maintain visual contact with one another, particularly when moving through dense cover or woods,” Paurus said. “Any hunter who has ever identified someone strictly by seeing blaze orange knows its value in keeping track of other hunters in the field, especially in low light conditions.”

For those who use ground blinds, Paurus said to remember to place some blaze orange on the outside of the blind for others to see.

Some safety tips for non-hunters:

• Wear bright clothing. Choose colors that stand out, like red, orange or green, and avoid white, blacks, browns, earth-toned greens and animal-colored clothing. Blaze orange vests and hats are advisable.
• Be courteous. Don’t make unnecessary noise to disturb wildlife. Avoid confrontations.
• Know the dates of hunting seasons. Learn about where and when hunting is taking place.

SPECIAL DEER HUNTS AT RYDELL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Fall once again triggers the arrival of two special deer hunts, the Accessible Deer Hunt and the Mentored Youth Deer Hunt, held on the Rydell NWR each year. Both hunts are held under special permits from the Minnesota DNR.

The Accessible Deer Hunt is coordinated through Options in East Grand Forks, MN, who generates funds and volunteers, and provides meals and door prizes for an average of 20 hunters each year. Specialized accessible equipment such as portable hunting blinds, temporary screens, accessible platforms and adaptive hunting equipment help to facilitate a safe and effective hunting environment on the Refuge.

The Mentored Youth Hunt is sponsored by the Friends of Rydell NWR and the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association and is open to youth 12-15 years old. An adult parent/guardian mentor, who may not hunt, must accompany youth participants while hunting at all times and abide by all hunting rules. The hunt is open to up to 15 youth.

Rydell National Wildlife Refuge will be closed to the public on the following days to anyone not participating in these special deer hunts:

Accessible Deer Hunt:         October 8-10, 2015

Mentored Youth Deer Hunt: October 17-18, 2015

The Refuge will remain open for normal hours of operation on the days prior to and following the special deer hunts.

For more information contact Gregg Knutsen, Manager, at Rydell National Wildlife Refuge (218) 687-2229 extension 16

Another conservative deer season set to rebuild population

Hunters can expect another conservative deer season in 2015 as management continues to rebuild deer numbers across much of the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
“The 2015 deer hunting regulations will be quite similar to last year, with one-deer limits in most of the state,” said Leslie McInenly, big game program leader for the DNR. “Hunters should check the 2015 regulations early, because in the majority of areas, hunters will need to apply for a permit to shoot an antlerless deer.”

In 70 of Minnesota’s 128 deer permit areas, hunters must be chosen in a lottery to shoot an antlerless deer. Only bucks can be hunted in 14 areas. In 29 areas, hunters have the choice of shooting a doe or a buck. Bonus permits allowing hunters to shoot more than one deer may only be used in 11 permit areas and for some special hunts. In three southwestern areas, the DNR is restricting antlerless harvest to youth hunters only.

Hunters can buy deer licenses and apply to the lottery for antlerless deer permits starting Saturday, Aug. 1. The deadline to apply for the lottery is Thursday, Sept. 10.

“Given the mild winter for most of the state and reduced harvest last year, we anticipate that hunters will be seeing more deer when afield, and we are already hearing from people that they are seeing more deer this summer,” McInenly said. “We are continuing a conservative harvest approach in order to raise deer numbers consistent with our recent goal-setting process.”

The 2015 season marks the second year of a management approach to rebuild deer populations based on goal setting and listening sessions that indicated a desire for more deer in many areas.

Northern Minnesota hunters will again feel the impact of a bucks-only season. In bucks-only areas, no antlerless deer may be harvested by any hunter, including those with archery or youth licenses. Similarly, no antlerless deer may be harvested by any adult hunters in youth-only antlerless areas. However, as a result of 2015 legislation, new this year is an exception allowing either-sex harvest by any hunter age 84 and up or by hunters who are residents of veterans’ homes.

Another change this year is the return of youth-only antlerless harvest for a few areas in southwestern Minnesota. The measure is designed to increase populations into goal range in areas where antlerless harvest under the lottery system hasn’t been restrictive enough to increase deer numbers.

Details on buying a license
All hunters who purchase licenses by Sept. 10 are automatically entered into the lottery if they declare a lottery deer permit area. Those who do not wish to harvest an antlerless deer are encouraged to purchase their license after the lottery deadline. Hunters may apply using both their firearm and muzzleloader licenses. If hunters are selected for both licenses, they must select the one season in which they want to shoot an antlerless deer. 

Deer hunting licenses, lottery applications and special hunt applications are available at any DNR license agent, by telephone at 888-665-4236 or online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense. Lottery winners will be notified in October.

Permit area breakdown
Bucks-only deer areas in 2015 are permit areas 103, 108, 111, 118, 119, 152, 169, 176, 177, 178, 181, 183, 199 and 203.
Youth-only antlerless deer areas in 2015 are permit areas 234, 237 and 286.
Lottery deer areas in 2015 are permit areas 101, 105, 110, 117, 122, 126, 127, 155, 156, 157, 159, 171, 172, 173, 179, 180, 184, 197, 208, 210, 221, 222, 224, 229, 232, 235, 238, 242, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 288, 289, 290, 291, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298 and 299.

Hunter choice deer areas in 2015 are permit areas 201, 209, 213, 218, 219, 223, 225, 230, 233, 239, 240, 248, 254, 255, 256, 257, 264, 265, 277, 292, 293, 338, 339, 341, 342, 344, 345, 347 and 348.
Managed deer areas in 2015 are permit areas 114, 214, 215, 227, 236, 241, 287 and 343.
Intensive deer areas in 2015 are permit areas 182, 346 and 349.

The DNR strongly advises hunters to review new deer hunting regulations, permit area designations and boundary changes before applying. Current and up-to-date information is available online at www.mndnr.gov/hunting/deer. Information about deer management and upcoming deer population goal setting during the next two years is available at www.mndnr.gov/deer.

Bear hunt applications available; deadline is May 1

Applications for Minnesota bear hunting licenses are being accepted now through Friday, May 1, at any Department of Natural Resources license agent, online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense and by telephone at 888-665-4236.

A total of 3,700 licenses are available in 11 permit areas. Bear licenses cost $45 for residents and $231 for nonresidents, and there is a $5 application fee. The season opens Tuesday, Sept. 1, and closes Sunday, Oct. 18.

Notification to successful lottery winners will be made in mid- to late May. The deadline to purchase licenses awarded by lottery will be Thursday, Aug. 1. Any remaining unpurchased licenses will be available to those eligible starting at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

An unlimited number of bear licenses will be sold over-the-counter for no-quota areas in east-central and far northwestern Minnesota. No-quota licenses are valid only in a no-quota area. Hunters with a no-quota license can harvest one bear.

By offering the same number of licenses as last year, the DNR continues to work toward its goal of gradually increasing Minnesota’s bear population. The state’s bear population was estimated at 17,000 in 2008. Trends since then suggest that today’s population is 10,000 to 15,000. Reducing the number of bear licenses results in hunters harvesting fewer bears, allowing the population to gradually increase.

Complete information on the fall bear hunt is available on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/hunting/bear.

2015 spring light goose hunt begins March 1

A spring conservation hunt on light geese will open Sunday, March 1, and run through Thursday, April 30. Light geese are snow geese, blue-phased snow geese and the smaller Ross’s goose.

A federal conservation order, which permits the take of light geese during the spring, is in place to reduce the population of snow geese and Ross’s geese that breed in Arctic coastal areas and around Hudson Bay. High populations of the birds have caused considerable habitat damage to these fragile ecosystems.

Minnesota has participated in this spring conservation action each year since 2000. Harvest of light geese in Minnesota has varied from a few hundred to several thousand birds each spring.
To participate, a spring light goose permit is required and may be obtained through any Minnesota DNR license agent, via telephone at 888-665-4236 or online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense. There is a $3.50 application fee to cover the cost of issuing the permit. No other license, stamp or permit is required.

A summary of regulations is available at www.mndnr.gov/hunting/waterfowl/lightgoose, from license vendors, DNR wildlife offices or by calling the DNR Information Center at 888-646-6367.