In a one-half acre plot in his backyard, prairie enthusiast Mike Halverson has seen many benefits of planting over 125 different species during the last 15 years.
Along with another unusual spring and late ice-out, Minnesota's breeding mallard population counts are down slightly from last year while other species saw higher declines, according to the results of the annual Minnesota Department of Natural Resources spring waterfowl surveys.
Hunters can expect a conservative 2014 deer season designed to rebuild deer numbers across much of the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
Those who want to harvest antlerless deer throughout much of Minnesota this hunting season must apply by Thursday, Sept. 4, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
Minnesota's 2014 Waterfowl Hunting Regulations handbook is available wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold, online at www.mndnr.gov/regulations and in Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife offices across the state.
A missing duck hunter near Mille Lacs Lake forced to spend the night in the woods is a good reminder that anyone spending time outdoors should know wilderness survival basics, said an official with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Hunters may not see fewer deer when firearms deer season opens Saturday, Nov. 8, but regulations implemented to help increase Minnesota's deer population will place more of those deer off limits, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
The deadline to apply for early season spring wild turkey hunting permits is Friday, Jan. 9, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The spring season, which runs from April 15 to May 28, is divided into eight time periods.
Opportunities for the public to participate in deer population goal setting for large portions of northeastern, north-central and east-central Minnesota begin Monday, Feb. 2, in Monticello.
Even into the depths of winter after other hunting seasons have passed, there is still time to hunt gray and fox squirrel, cottontail rabbit, jack-rabbit and snowshoe hare in a season that runs until Saturday, Feb. 28.
Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation (LLAWF) in partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) have recently launched The Clean Water and Critical Habitat Protection Program, a new conservation effort focused on sustaining high water quality in key recreational lakes in the North Central Lakes region.
While winter weather may be far from over, this winter has been mild by Minnesota standards. If mild conditions persist, those conditions combined with a conservative 2014 deer harvest could signal the start of a rebound in the state's white-tailed deer populations.
Wildlife managers remind homeowners who live near bear habitat to be bear-aware and check their property for food sources that could attract bears this spring.
Our grandson, Zane, wanted to spend Saturday night at Grandpa and Nanna's house. It is great he still wants to spend time with his grandparents, but my wife and I are quite exciting people.
