Outdoors Notebook: Minnesota DNR shares snowmobile season reminders
Dec. 9—ST. PAUL — Minnesota snowmobile trails officially opened Friday, Dec. 1, but the lack of snow cover means the trails aren't yet usable, the Department of Natural Resources said in a reminder.
Several conditions must be met before trails are open, groomed and ready for travel, the DNR said:
* The ground must be frozen. Where trails cross wetlands, 15 inches of ice are needed to support the weight of trail groomers.
* Adequate snow cover of about 12 inches must be on the ground to allow for trail packing and grooming.
* Trails must be cleared of fallen trees, signs put in place and gates opened.
While snowmobilers await the arrival of snow and groomed trails, now is a good time to make sure registrations are current and snowmobiles are in good operating order, review safety training, and check local trail maps for route changes or new trails.
Registrations for new snowmobiles must be purchased in person at a deputy registrar of motor vehicles or at the DNR License Bureau in St. Paul. Renewals of registrations and out-of-state trail stickers can be handled in person or on the
DNR's licenses and vehicle registrations website
.
Local trail conditions are often posted online by tourism associations, chambers of commerce and volunteer snowmobile clubs. To find the nearest club, visit the
Minnesota United Snowmobiler's Association website
Important snowmobile riding safety tips include:
* Be weather aware and don't ride in adverse weather conditions.
* Check the DNR snow depth and groomed trail conditions webpage before leaving home.
* Measure ice depth before riding on lakes and rivers. The DNR recommends a minimum of 5 to 7 inches of new, clear ice for snowmobiles.
* Always stay on designated snowmobile trails. Venturing off trails can result in accidents.
* Don't drink alcohol and ride. Alcohol is a factor in more than 60% of fatal accidents in Minnesota.
* Always wear a quality DOT-approved helmet and facemask.
An interactive snowmobile trail map can be found on the DNR's snowmobiling website at mndnr.gov/snowmobiling. Paper trail maps can be requested from the DNR Information Center by email at info.dnr@state.mn.us or by phone at (888) 646-6367 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. — staff report
BISMARCK — Nonprofit organizations eligible to receive North Dakota big game hunting licenses in 2024 must have the application submitted to the Game and Fish Department no later than Jan. 1, the department said in a news release.
North Dakota state law provides direction for the Game and Fish director to allocate big game hunting licenses to eligible organizations. Under this directive, up to two elk, moose and pronghorn licenses, and 10 white-tailed deer licenses, can be issued to organizations for fundraising.
Eligible organizations must be exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3), and must provide proof from the Internal Revenue Service to that effect. In addition, organizations must be active and in good standing with the office of the North Dakota Secretary of State.
Successful lottery applicants must agree to donate at least 10% of the net proceeds of any license fundraiser to a conservation-related project, such as hunting access, conservation education, habitat development or shooting range management. — staff report
BISMARCK — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and North Dakota Department of Agriculture are again opening the Coyote Catalog, a statewide effort designed to connect hunters and trappers with landowners dealing with coyotes in their areas.
Landowners can sign up
on the Department of Agriculture website,
.
Hunters and trappers can sign up
at the Game and Fish website,
.
Anyone who registered for the Coyote Catalog in the past must register again to activate their name on the database.
Throughout winter, hunters or trappers may receive information on participating landowners, and they should contact landowners to make arrangements.
Landowners experiencing coyote depredation of livestock should first contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.
The Coyote Catalog will remain active through March 31.
For more information, contact Ryan Herigstad at Game and Fish, (701) 595-4463 or rherigstad@nd.gov; or Michelle Mielke, at the Department of Agriculture, (701) 328-2233 or mmielke@nd.gov. — staff report
BISMARCK — Educators interested in applying for North Dakota's
Urban Pollinator Program
must apply by Jan. 10, the Game and Fish Department said in a reminder.
The program was created to assist educational organizations in developing urban pollinator gardens. Elementary, middle and high schools, special education schools, colleges and educational clubs are eligible to apply. Limited spots are available. — staff report
ST. PAUL — The Minnesota DNR State Forest Nursery is looking for people to collect black spruce cones this winter in northern Minnesota. The seeds found inside the cones are needed to reforest nearly 3,000 acres of black spruce forest each year.
"Over the last few years, the number of collectors has decreased and we are in critical need of black spruce cones," said Sarah Ebert, State Forest Nursery manager. "We pay people $100 per bushel, which is about nine gallons of cones. Collecting black spruce now is a great way to earn some cash before the holidays."
People interested in collecting black spruce cones should first contact one of the DNR's seed drop-off stations to get information and instructions on collecting, handling and labeling the cones. The DNR Forestry seed drop-off stations that are buying black spruce cones are in Baudette, Bemidji, Cloquet, Deer River, Hibbing, Littlefork, Orr, Tower, Two Harbors, Warroad and the Minnesota State Forest Nursery near Akeley. Visit the
DNR's seed and cone collection webpage
at mndnr.gov for drop-off location addresses and phone numbers.
Only high-quality, ripe, closed black spruce cones free of stems and debris are eligible for purchase. Colorado blue, white or Norway spruce cones are not accepted. The window to collect and sell viable black spruce cones is open now through February 2024.
If people are not sure where to find cones, a DNR forester from a drop-off station can provide advice.
More info:
mndnr.gov/forestry/nursery/cone-seed-collection.html. — staff report
ST. PAUL — The Minnesota DNR's Roundtable — an annual gathering of conservation partners to discuss fisheries, wildlife, and ecological and water resource topics and encourage partnership — will again include an open registration opportunity.
The 2024 DNR Roundtable will be hosted Friday, Jan. 19.
The opportunity to register
for one of a limited number of free, first-come, first-served slots opened at noon Wednesday, Dec. 6.
The 2024 Roundtable will include an opening plenary session, concurrent sessions, afternoon panel discussions, a closing plenary session, a reception and after-hours special conversation sessions. Featured speakers will include DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen and other leaders from the DNR and conservation community. — staff report
