Minnesota Mixed Bag: DNR designates Keystone Woods as new Wildlife Management Area

St. Paul — The Minnesota DNR has designated 1,820 acres of land in Washington County as Minnesota’s newest wildlife management area, named Keystone Woods WMA.

Formerly a cattle ranch, Keystone Woods is one of the largest undeveloped tracts of land remaining in the metro area. With support from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, Trust for Public Land purchased the property, and the DNR and Trust for Public Land wrapped up the state’s acquisition of the Keystone Woods acreage in September 2024.

According to Gretchen Miller, DNR central region wildlife manager, next steps at Keystone Woods will include a public input opportunity.

The DNR plans to open a public input period in late November, including public meetings and an online survey. Details will be available later this fall via public announcement and on the Keystone Woods webpage.

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YOUTH, STATEWIDE ANTLERLESS-ONLY DEER HUNTS RUN OCT. 17-20

St. Paul — Two early deer hunts are set for Oct. 17-20. Both the youth deer hunt and the antlerless-only hunts will take place during those four days.

For the youth hunt, participants must be 10 to 17 years old and have a deer license. Participant numbers are not limited and there is no special permit, so parents should obtain a regular deer-hunting license for each youth who will be hunting. Youth may not tag antlerless deer or legal bucks taken by another individual. An adult parent, guardian, or mentor must accompany youth ages 10 to 13.

The antlerless-only hunt increases opportunities for hunters in deer permit areas where deer populations are above population goals or where there is an increased risk of chronic wasting disease. Permit areas open during the hunt are 214, 215, 218, 219, 221, 222, 223, 225, 227, 229, 236, 341, 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 661, and 701.

GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE TO LIVESTOCK OWNERS FOR PREVENTION OF WOLF ATTACKS

St. Paul — New money is available for Minnesota livestock producers to help prevent wolf attacks. A total of $45,000 will be awarded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture through the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants. Applications are due Jan. 3, 2025.

The grants provide reimbursement for costs of approved practices to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts. Only costs incurred after entering into a grant agreement with the MDA are eligible for reimbursement. Among eligible expenses for the grant program: the purchase of guard animals; veterinary costs for guard animals; and wolf barriers.

The funding requires an 80:20 matching cost-share, meaning 80% of eligible project costs will be reimbursed by the grant and the remaining 20% will be paid for by the grantee. Work for this grant must be done and expenses reported by Oct. 31, 2025. The application and more information can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/wolfgrants.

WATERFOWL AVOIDANCE AREAS IN EFFECT ON MISSISSIPPI POOLS BEGINNING OCT. 15

Onalaska, Wis. — Voluntary waterfowl avoidance areas will be in effect on pools 7 and 8 of the Mississippi River beginning Oct. 15. The areas are part of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, and are locations where migrating waterfowl and other water birds stage during fall. Refuge officials request waterfowl hunters and others avoid these areas.

The voluntary avoidance area on Pool 7 is on Lake Onalaska and covers about a 3,300-acre section of the lake. It’s marked with orange and white buoys and will be in effect until mid-November. The Pool 8 area includes the 980-acre Goose Island No Hunting Zone and the 6,500-acre Wisconsin Islands Closed Area. The avoidance area is in effect until the end of the waterfowling season.

For more information, visit: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/upper-mississippi-river/

CORRECTION:

The editor’s “Streams of Thought” column on Page 3 in the Sept. 27, 2024, edition of Outdoor News stated that two new tribal liaison positions are within the Minnesota DNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. In fact, the two positions are department-wide, serving all divisions.