Ask a Conservation Officer

[Lee Borgersen]

                              Ask a Conservation Officer:

                                        Is a license required to harvest wild rice?

By Tim Maass,  on Aug 21, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. 






Q: Do I need a license to harvest wild rice?

   ...
A: Yes. A person may not harvest wild rice without a license, unless you are under the age of 18 and accompanied by someone with a license. Ripe wild rice can be harvested from Aug. 15 through Sept. 30 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Any watercraft used must be a boat, skiff or canoe propelled by hand, a top width of not more than 36 inches and a length of not more than 18 feet. No mechanical device may be used for gathering or harvesting the grain other than flails used by hand, not over 30 inches in length and not over one pound in weight.


 



  ....

Tim Maass is a new Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer assigned to the Bloomington station, and is currently training in the Duluth area with CO Matt Miller of the Lake Superior Marine Unit.