Minnesota Mixed Bag: Deer hunted cited for allegedly shooting moose

Duluth, Minn. — A Duluth man has been cited for allegedly illegally shooting a moose – a gross misdemeanor – while deer hunting near Melrude, north of Duluth in northeastern Minnesota.

According Minnesota DNR Enforcement, Dane Landon Nelson, 37, of Duluth, shot the moose, a young bull, Nov. 8, the opening day of the state’s firearms deer season, in St. Louis County.

Reports indicate Nelson’s blood-alcohol content allegedly was .01% when he was cited. Legal impairment for vehicle drivers is .08%.

Moose have been off-limits to state hunters since 2012, following a precipitous decline in the population from nearly 9,000 in 2006 to around 4,200 in 2012, per the DNR’s moose survey. That number further dropped to about 2,700 in 2013 before increasing and stabilizing around 4,000 in subsequent years, including in 2025. Tribal hunts have occurred the past several years, however.

According to Nelson’s citation, restitution for a moose taken illegally is $1,000.

— Tim Spielman

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LATE-SEASON CWD HUNT RUNS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

St. Paul — Deer hunters may participate in a late-season chronic wasting disease management hunt Friday, Dec. 19, through Sunday, Dec. 21. Deer permit areas open to this CWD management hunt are 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, and 649.

CWD testing is voluntary for this year’s late CWD hunt.

Hunters who would like to get their deer tested for CWD can use a self-service station, the partner sampling program, or hunter mail-in kits. Hunters may also make an appointment at a DNR wildlife office. This year, there will not be any in-person, staffed check stations available during the CWD management hunt dates.

While CWD testing is voluntary, carcass movement restrictions remain in effect for all the DPAs included in the late CWD hunt. Details on those restrictions are available on the Minnesota DNR deer imports webpage.

KIDS ICE FISHING EVENT SET FOR UPPER MISS REFUGE

Winona, Minn. — The annual Kid’s Ice Fishing Event, co-sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Friends of the Refuge Headwaters and held on the Upper Mississippi River National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will take place at the McNally Boat Landing on Prairie Island Drive in Winona.

Children (recommended ages 6 through 13) and their families are invited to join in this free event. Children will be paired with experienced ice anglers who will assist them with a hands-on ice fishing experience. Bait, tackle, and fishing rods will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring their own ice-fishing supplies if they have them and a bucket or folding chair to sit on while watching their bobbers.

All children must be registered for the event by a parent or guardian. A registration station will be available at the McNally Boat Landing.

To RSVP or for additional information, contact Stephanie Edeler at stephanie_edeler@fws.gov or call (507) 452-4232 or visit either www.friendsoftherefugeheadwaters.org or www.fws.gov/refuge/upper-mississippi-river

NEW SEGMENT OF BLAZING STAR STATE TRAIL NEAR ALBERT LEA NOW OPEN

Albert Lea — The Minnesota DNR has completed a 1-mile extension of the Blazing Star State Trail east of Myre-Big Island State Park.

The segment, which is now open to the public, increases the total trail length to 8.1 miles. Prior to this extension, the trail started at the northwest corner of Albert Lea Lake within Albert Lea city limits and ran southeast into and through Myre-Big Island State Park. The new segment picks up at the eastern edge of the park, where a 100-foot bridge crosses Albert Lea Lake, and continues east to the city of Hayward.

The new, 10-foot-wide paved trail segment is open for walking, running, biking, rollerblading and more. Funding for the new trail came from federal transportation grants, state general obligation bonds and the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund.

For more information on the Blazing Star State Trail and to get a trail map, visit the DNR website.

NORTH DAKOTA GUIDE AND OUTFITTER EXAM SET

Bismarck, N.D. — The next guide and outfitter written examination is Jan. 10 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. Preregistration is required no later than Jan. 2 by calling the department’s enforcement office at (701) 328-6604.

In addition to passing a written exam, qualifications for becoming a guide include a background check for criminal and game and fish violations; certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and standard first aid; and employment by or contract with a licensed hunting outfitter.

Hunting outfitter eligibility requirements not only includes the guide qualifications, but the individual is also required to have held a hunting guide license for two years and have proof of liability insurance.

The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a guide or outfitter in the state.