FALL TRIBAL HARVEST GUIDELINES REMINDER & UPDATE
By Mashkode-bizikigahbaw, Benji Sam
The Mille Lacs Band Department of Natural Resources held the fall hunting harvest meeting in early September to review new changes and give an update on current best practices to help keep hunters safe this fall. Like most hunting seasons, it is first and foremost important to review and have a strong basis of knowledge around hunting regulations, safety guidelines, and best practices while searching for that next meal. The DNR wants to remind all hunters to wear proper clothing to stay warm, stay dry, and to stay safe when chasing whitetails this fall.
Per Minnesota hunting regulations, when participating in hunting with rifles, hunters are required to wear blaze orange or pink headwear and outerwear that covers at least 50 percent of the body. The only exception to this rule is bowhunting within a bow-only zone, but the MLB DNR still recommends wearing blaze coloration for your safety and others around you. Hunters participating from ground blinds are also now required to place at least one 12-inch-by-12-inch square of blaze orange visible to approaching hunters — this includes all camouflage hunting blinds.
As a general reminder, shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Each of these times can be found with a simple Google search or in the back of the Minnesota State Hunting Regulations book for each day through the hunting season. The MLB DNR also wants to remind all shooters to be aware of what you are aiming at and what is beyond your target. Safety is always a priority when traveling through the woods, and even more caution should be had while handling loaded weapons.
The MLB DNR also wants to remind hunters to please abide by posted signage on multiple Band properties to travel and avoid driving ATV/UTVs near buildings on local properties, and to please not drive around or push through locked gates. Many properties have seen difficulty with significant erosion and trail damages due to repetitive ATV usage on landscapes, and the DNR wants to remind harvesters to be stewards of the land. The better shape trails stay in makes it easier and more efficient for the DNR workers to maintain properties so that everyone can use them to practice their treaty rights safely.
In continuation of recent studies looking into chronic wasting disease (CWD) and transmittance of this condition across the deer herd, the MLB DNR will once again be accepting deer heads to study. If you are bringing in deer skulls for necropsy, the DNR office is requesting that harvesters leave at least four inches of the neck musculature intact to study the lymph nodes within the neck tissue. A gentle reminder to any Minnesota-based harvesters while hunting in Wisconsin territories: state regulations allow absolutely no transport of the entire spinal column — this includes deer heads and the entire spine. When bringing harvests home from Wisconsin, Minnesota hunters are required by law to quarter and remove all spinal column matter from the carcass to legally transport across state lines. Failure to abide by this regulation may result in fines and potential confiscation of equipment per Minnesota/Wisconsin regulations.
Small game, waterfowl, and turkey hunters are asked to review regulations and harvest daily bag limits and tag requirements on GLIFWC’s website as well as licensing requirements from NAGFA. Tribal hunters also require harvest permits issued by your respective district licensing agent: District I: Leroy Day, 320-532-7896; District II: Steven Aubid, 218-786-5316/320- 362-4123; District III: Vanessa Gibbs, 320-384-6240 ext 3230.
