DNR Roundup - Oct. 30, 2018

[Lee Borgersen]

  DNR Roundup - Oct. 30, 2018

Hunters in central, north-central and southeast Minnesota need to bring their harvested deer to be tested for chronic wasting disease on opening weekend of firearms deer season Saturday, Nov. 3, and Sunday, Nov. 4.
CWD tests mandatory in local hunting zones

Hunters in central, north-central and southeast Minnesota need to bring their harvested deer to be tested for chronic wasting disease on opening weekend of firearms deer season Saturday, Nov. 3, and Sunday, Nov. 4.


In the lakes area, hunters in Zones 242 and 247 - which cover much of Crow Wing County - are required to report any kills.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is requiring the testing to determine whether CWD may have spread from captive deer to wild deer in central and north-central Minnesota.

The DNR also will require hunters to have their deer tested in much of southeastern Minnesota Nov. 3-4 as well as Saturday, Nov. 17, and Sunday, Nov. 18, because of its proximity to 18 known instances of CWD in wild deer centered around Preston, and to determine if the disease has spread from captive deer to wild deer in Winona County.

The mandatory sampling requirements mean that after field dressing their deer, all hunters in affected permit areas need to take them to a sampling station. DNR staff will remove lymph nodes, and the DNR will submit them for laboratory testing. Hunters should check mndnr.gov/cwd to find the permit areas where sampling is required.

Hunters must register their deer by phone, internet or in person. The DNR will not make harvest registration available at CWD sampling stations. The DNR website will have test results available at mndnr.gov/cwdcheck; hunters can enter the nine-digit MDNR number from the deer's site tag into the search box. The page will then display the results of the test. If the result reads "Pending," the final results are not yet available.

Hunters not in a mandatory testing area can collect their own lymph node sample and submit it for testing to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Minnesota for a fee. The DNR has made a video showing how to collect a lymph node sample available at mndnr.gov/cwd/videos.html.

The DNR website at mndnr.gov/cwd contains complete information about mandatory CWD testing, a video explaining the process, an interactive map showing sampling station locations and a related precautionary feeding ban.

Deer hunts to occur at several state parks

Special hunts to prevent overpopulation of deer and protect resources will occur this fall at several Minnesota state parks, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

Access to the parks will vary during these hunts. Some parks will remain open to all visitors, some will have limited access and some will be open only to hunters with special permits (closed to the general public). The deadlines for youth and adults to apply for a special permit to participate in the hunts—which include firearms, muzzleloader and archery options—have passed.

"These hunts are a cost-effective way for the DNR to help manage deer populations. And for some youth-only park hunts, they're a great way to introduce youngsters to deer hunting," said Tavis Westbrook, natural resource program coordinator for the DNR's Parks and Trails Division.

When there are too many of one animal or plant species in an area it can start to throw off the balance of other species. For example, when there are too many deer in a park, they tend to feed on certain trees and native plant communities. Because of this, the DNR occasionally allows deer hunts as a means of protecting natural resources.

The DNR advises anyone planning to visit a state park between now and the end of December to check online or call ahead to see whether a hunt is planned and whether the park will be open. The DNR also advises wearing blaze orange when visiting parks where hunts are taking place. Visitors should check for hunt-related information at the park office when they arrive, look carefully for hunt-related signage and follow instructions.

For a list of parks that are open, partially open or closed during the 2018 hunting season, visit mndnr.gov/state_parks/hunting.html or contact the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us or 888-646-6367 (8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday).

Details on which areas of each park will be affected by the special deer hunts can also be found in the "Visitor Alert" boxes on the individual park webpages at mndnr.gov/parkfinder.

Angler sets first catch-and-release record for northern pike

A 43 1/2 inch pike caught by a member of the Women Anglers of Minnesota on Mille Lacs Lake sets the first northern pike state record in the Department of Natural Resources' catch-and-release category.

Angler Maddy Ogg caught and released the huge pike Oct. 6 during what she described as a cold and windy day of fishing. She and companions Mike Buckingham and Jenni Buckingham got an early start that morning, soon landing two fish at the same time.

"On the way to the lake that morning, we saw eight bald eagles and shortly after we started fishing, we landed a double — I knew it was going to be a good day of fishing," Ogg said.

Five hours later, while trolling the edges of plants in 12 feet of water, Maddy had a strike that bent her rod hard. Even though most record-fish stories include a long dramatic battle between fish and angler, fortune was going their way.

"I had to reel fast because the fish swam towards the boat, causing nearly constant slack in the line," Ogg said.

She landed the pike and now claims the first Minnesota catch-and-release state record for the species. While pike can often be lively once in a boat, in this case the cool temperatures and calm behavior of Maddy's pike made for an outstanding catch-and-release scenario.

While the 43 1/2 inch pike may have set the record, it likely will not be the only trophy pike pulled from the big lake. Mille Lacs has a growing reputation as a trophy pike fishery, with some fish reaching the mid- to high-40-inch and range and exceeding 20 pounds.

There are two kinds of Minnesota state records: one for catching and keeping the biggest fish in each species based on certified weight; and the other for the length of a caught and released muskellunge, northern pike, lake sturgeon or flathead catfish.

The DNR announces new state records in news releases, on social media and on the DNR website. Find current records and guidelines for each type of state record at mndnr.gov/recordfish.