DNR reminds hunters to watch for wild ricersduring early waterfowl seasons

Minnesota waterfowl hunters taking part in early teal and goose hunting seasons in September need to be aware and cautious of wild rice harvesters, because wild rice is ripening at the same time as these early waterfowl hunting seasons.

Minnesota’s experimental early teal season runs from Saturday, Sept. 3, through Wednesday, Sept. 7, with shooting hours from sunrise to sunset. This year’s early goose season runs from Saturday, Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 18, with shooting hours from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the White Earth Nation have closed all wild rice waters within the boundaries of their respective reservations to all over-water waterfowl hunting during the traditional wild rice harvest. Both the experimental early teal season (Sept. 3-7) and the early goose season (Sept. 3-18) are affected by these closures.

The DNR advises all waterfowl hunters to be aware of these tribal restrictions and urges hunters who have planned to hunt within the boundaries of the Leech Lake or White Earth reservations to contact each tribe’s natural resource department for more information:

• Leech Lake Division of Resource Management (llojibwe.org/drm): 218-335-7400
• White Earth Division of Natural Resources (whiteearth.com/divisions/natural_resources/contact): 218-983-3201

The DNR also reminds those taking part in the youth waterfowl hunt on Sept. 10-11 to be aware of tribal restrictions within the boundaries of the Leech Lake or White Earth reservations. From Sept. 10-11, waterfowl hunters ages 17 and younger, when accompanied by a non-hunting adult (age 18 and older), may take ducks, geese, mergansers, coots and moorhens from a half-hour before sunrise to sunset.

Since wild rice is ripening at the same time as Minnesota’s early waterfowl hunting seasons, over-water waterfowl hunters are urged to be aware of and cautious about wild ricers no matter where they hunt.

Access to complete information on Minnesota’s waterfowl hunting seasons is available from the DNR’s waterfowl hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl). Complete regulations and the illustrated guide also are available in Hmong, Karen, Somali and Spanish.