Outdoors Notebook: Minnesota DNR invites comment on draft update to state's muskie plan

Yahoo

17-05-2025

May 17—ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting people to share their thoughts on a draft update of the state's long-range muskie plan.
"Public input, stakeholder discussions and conversations with our Tribal partners have been critical in shaping the draft plan," Leslie George, Northeast Region fisheries manager, said in a statement. "Before finalizing the plan for muskie management moving forward, we want to ensure that we consider the perspectives and opportunities desired by our constituents."
The draft plan will be used to guide muskie management in Minnesota for the next 15 years. It includes management goals, objectives and strategies centered on improving existing muskie populations, shifting approaches in the production of muskies to be stocked, continuing hybrid (tiger) muskellunge management in the metro area, and broadening research and education efforts. Although there was interest in adding new waters to the statewide muskie stocking program, public input has focused on first improving existing lakes, especially the key muskie fisheries of Mille Lacs Lake, Lake Vermilion and Lake Minnetonka.
A digital copy of the draft plan is available on the DNR's
muskie page
at
mndnr.gov/muskie
. DNR staff will host an evening online webinar to provide an overview of the plan and its purpose, answer questions and collect public input from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 28. A link to the webinar is available on the Minnesota DNR's
muskie page
at
mndnr.gov/muskie
. Registration is not required.
Comments may also be submitted by:
* Emailing [e-mail].
* Using the online survey available on the Minnesota DNR's
muskie page
at
mndnr.gov/muskie
.
* Writing to Kelly Wilder, Minnesota DNR — FAW, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155.
The DNR is accepting comments on the draft plan update through Thursday, June 12.
ST. PAUL — Firearms turkey hunters in Minnesota who have an unused tag from an earlier hunt period can participate in the final hunt period from Wednesday, May 21, through Saturday, May 31, the DNR said. Hunters can also buy a license for this period. Archery-only and youth ages 17 and younger are allowed to hunt during any period, including the final one. Hunters cannot purchase both a firearms and archery-only license.
In a news release, the DNR said the turkey harvest so far is on pace with 2024. Through the C season, hunters had harvested 13,444 birds, compared with 13,369 at the same point in 2024, the DNR said. The total for the B season alone was 3,949 — the highest B season harvest ever.
The weather again looks favorable for the D season. Some toms have been observed staying close to hens, the DNR said, while others are roaming looking for hens. The majority of the hens that toms had with them have transitioned to incubating nests.
Turkey licenses can be
purchased online
at
mndnr.gov/buyalicense
, by phone at [phone] or in person from a license agent. More information about turkey hunting in Minnesota can be found on the
DNR website
at
mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey
.
ST. PAUL — The Minnesota DNR and the Minnesota Twins once again are partnering to offer Minnesota DNR Days at select games in 2025. Anyone with a 2025 Minnesota fishing or hunting license can access a ticket package that includes a special edition Twins fishing cap with a ticket purchase.
The 2025 Minnesota DNR Days partnership includes seven games:
* Saturday, May 24: Kansas City Royals.
* Friday, June 20: Milwaukee Brewers.
* Friday, July 11: Pittsburgh Pirates.
* Tuesday, July 29: Boston Red Sox.
* Saturday, Aug. 16: Detroit Tigers.
* Sunday, Aug. 31: San Diego Padres.
* Tuesday, Sept. 16: New York Yankees.
Find game times and ticket info on the
Minnesota DNR Days webpage
at
mndnr.gov/twins
.
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. — Nonprofit conservation group Wildlife Forever has again teamed with Yamaha Rightwaters and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to create Project 435, its newest tool in the battle to control the spread of aquatic invasive species — or aquatic nuisance species, as they're called in North Dakota.
Project 435 — available at
cleandraindry.org/project-435 — identifies aquatic invasive species within each of the nation's 435 congressional districts. The tool features 25 prominent aquatic invasive species and includes specific occurrence and location data.
"Project 435 is a new research and public awareness tool bringing specialized scientific data to the citizen scientist," Zach Burnside, Wildlife Forever's Invasive Species Program manager, said in a statement. "The map shows where aquatic invasive species are distributed across America. It also identifies the congressional districts that have greater occurrences of these invasive species and provides contact forms to reach each respective district representative to help make them aware of the problem."
The program accesses USGS data, Burnside said, and the tool can be manipulated to show the AIS threats and risks unique to a specific congressional district area.
"The economic damage caused by invasive species can be quite extensive," said Josh Grier of Yamaha Rightwaters. "Whether it's zebra mussels clogging pipes or other critical water infrastructure, or Asian carp species taking over a river or lake and degrading the habitat for native fish. The result can threaten public health for cities, towns and businesses."
Yamaha Rightwaters is a national sustainability initiative launched by Yamaha Marine focused on conservation and water quality efforts.
"Using integrated data from USGS, Project 435 provides the foundation for a very powerful mapping tool to share information and inform policy makers about threats to their community," added Wes Daniel, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database coordinator for USGS.