The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is proposing a walleye fishing regulation change for sections of the Otter and Cloquet rivers (which flow into Island Lake Reservoir in St. Louis County) that would make the walleye regulation the same for the reservoir and adjacent river segments.
The proposed regulation for the Otter River from the mouth to the Boulder Lake dam, and the Cloquet River from the mouth to the rapids a half mile upstream, would require anglers to release all walleye 15 to 20 inches in length — the same regulation as applies to Island Lake Reservoir. The river segments concentrate spawning walleye from the reservoir in the spring and consistent regulations between these connected waters will advance both fish management and enforcement objectives.
Anyone may comment on the proposed regulation by contacting Duluth Area Fisheries by email, phone (218-302-3264), or U.S. mail (Duluth Area Fisheries Office, 5351 North Shore Drive, Duluth, MN 55804). A public information meeting will take place 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at Rice Lake City Hall, 4107 W. Beyer Road, Rice Lake Township north of Duluth. More information about fishing in this area is available at the Duluth Area Fisheries page of the DNR website.
Recreational netting for cisco, also referred to as tullibee, and whitefish is open this fall on designated lakes. Whitefish and cisco sport netting is open to Minnesota residents only. About 700 Minnesotans participate each year. Netting schedules are based on expected water temperatures. As the water temperature cools, game fish head to deeper water while cisco and whitefish come to shallow water for fall spawning.
The DNR allows netting when there is little chance that fish other than cisco and whitefish will be caught. Game fish incidentally taken in nets must be returned to the water immediately. Complete regulations, including designated lakes, netting schedules and requirements related to use of gear and invasive species, are available on the DNR website.
Deer carcass movement restrictions are in place for 14 deer permit areas located in southeastern and north-central Minnesota and the south metro area.
DPAs 604, 605, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655, 661 and 679 together form the Chronic Wasting Disease management zone. Hunters are not allowed to bring whole deer carcasses outside the management zone until a “not detected” test result is received. DPAs 255, 343 and 344 form a control zone and whole deer carcasses cannot be moved out of a control zone or the adjacent management zone until a “not-detected” test result is received. Hunters are allowed to move whole deer carcasses in between contiguous management zone DPAs or from a control zone DPA into the management zone.
If hunters do not submit their deer for sampling or want to transport it outside these zones before getting a test result, they must debone or quarter their deer, properly disposing of the head and spinal column inside the zones. The DNR provides dumpsters for hunters to use to help facilitate carcass disposal.
These restrictions are part of a comprehensive strategy to keep Minnesota’s deer, elk and moose healthy by limiting the spread of disease. Hunters can find details for the DPA in which they hunt by visiting the DNR’s CWD page and using the “find your requirements for your DPA” tool.
The DNR has chosen winners for the Minnesota turkey and pheasant stamp contests.
Rushford artist Michael Sieve won the Minnesota pheasant stamp contest with an oil painting of pheasants in flight. The winner was selected on Sept. 29 from 13 eligible submissions. Second place was Mark Thone of Shakopee; third place was Scott Storm of Freeport.
St. Charles artist Micah Hanson won the Minnesota turkey stamp contest with an acrylic painting of wild turkeys in the woods. The winner was selected on Sept. 29 from five eligible submissions. Second place was Sam Larsen of Bemidji; third place was Stephen Hamrick of Lakeville.
The pheasant stamp and turkey stamp can be purchased in combination with hunting licenses or as collectables. Visit the DNR stamp page for more information about habitat stamps and contest guidelines.
The DNR invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to tune in to upcoming webinars that will discuss fishers and research on pheasants.
The first webinar is at noon Wednesday, Oct. 5. Learn about fishers, secretive members of the weasel family found in Minnesota forests. John Erb, wildlife research biologist, and Blane Klemek, wildlife manager, will cover fisher life history, management and harvest opportunities.
The second webinar is at noon Wednesday, Oct. 12. Tim Lyons, DNR upland game research scientist, will share results from recent research on pheasant biology, management practices and bird behavior. Learn what the findings mean for pheasant populations and pheasant hunting in Minnesota.
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.