Minnesota Mixed Bag: 43rd annual Game Fair begins Friday

Ramsey, Minn. — The 43rd edition of Game Fair begins Friday at Armstrong Ranch Kennels in Ramsey, bringing with it a host of familiar faces and events, as well as new attractions and seminars.

Dogs again take center stage, with nearly a dozen events for people who bring their pups to the fair. People may also see dog agility teams in action. The Scharas – Ron and daughter Laura – will again play the role of hosts, and Travis Mears and Nora Ross will again dazzle attendees with their shooting prowess. New shooting events for fairgoes include “flushing pheasants” and the “mallard flurry.”

Game Fair’s first weekend runs Friday through Sunday; the second week end is set for Friday through Sunday, Aug. 16-18. Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. For more information and to see seminar lineups, visit www.gamefair.com

MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

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CDC clarifies its recent ‘dog import’ guidelines, but it’s not good enough, says one hunter advocacy group

DNR SCHEDULES TWO AUCTIONS OF CONFISCATED HUNTING, FISHING, TRAPPING EQUIPMENT

St. Paul — The Minnesota DNR has scheduled two public auctions of confiscated fishing, hunting, and trapping equipment. The auctions, which will be held online Aug. 26 and Oct. 7, include equipment that was confiscated following serious game and fish violations.

A list of equipment to be auctioned will be available about a month before each auction at the Hiller Auction Service website (hillerauction.com). The bidding catalog for each auction will be available at the Hiller Auction Service website on Aug. 22 and Oct. 3. The catalog will include a written description and photos of each item.

Online bidding for the auctions begins Aug. 23 (first auction) and Oct. 4 (second auction). Onsite inspection is available at Hiller Auction Service in Zimmerman on Aug. 23 and Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The auctions will begin closing at 5 p.m. on Aug. 26 and Oct. 7.

All equipment will be sold as-is, including all defects or faults, known or unknown. Once they’ve been purchased, items cannot be returned. Background checks are required of anyone who successfully bids for a firearm.

Revenue from confiscated equipment auctions will go into the Game and Fish Fund, which is the DNR’s primary fund for delivering fish and wildlife management and law enforcement.

For more information, see DNR Enforcement’s auction page.

FOR MILLE LACS ANGLERS, A TWO-WALLEYE BAG LIMIT STARTS ON AUG. 16

St. Paul — Effective Friday, Aug. 16, through Saturday, Nov. 30, Lake Mille Lacs walleye anglers may harvest up to two walleyes per day. Both fish can be 18 to 20 inches in length or one can be 18 to 20 inches and the other must be longer than 28 inches.

As of July 15, state-licensed anglers had harvested only about 26% of their 2024 open water allowed walleye take.

Based on meteorologists’ projections for a hot and dry summer, along with data on the fishery and past angler effort, the originally planned regulation starting Aug. 16 would have allowed anglers to keep one fish 21 to 23 inches or longer than 28 inches. Population surveys suggest that Mille Lacs currently has relatively high numbers of walleyes 18 to 20 inches long. Expanding the possession limit to two fish and moving the size of harvestable fish to that size range allows anglers to catch and keep the “eaters” many prefer.

State-licensed anglers share the harvest on Mille Lacs with Ojibwe tribes that retain fishing rights by treaty. To conserve the fishery, an annual safe harvest level is set through discussion and agreement between the state and the tribes, with each party setting regulations to stay within their share of the harvest.

As of July 15, state-licensed anglers had harvested around 24,000 pounds of a potential harvest of 91,550 pounds. Tribal fishing harvest has been 53,671 pounds of the allowed 65,950 pounds. More information is available at: mndnr.gov/millelacslake

PRAIRIE POTHOLE DAY SET FOR SEPT. 7 NEAR SPICER

Spicer, Minn. — The 41st annual Prairie Pothole Day will be held Sept. 7, this year at a new location – the Prairie Woods Environmental Center west of Spicer. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain or shine) and is hosted by volunteers and friends of the Prairie Pothole Conservation Association.

PPD will feature seminars, dog distance jumping, trap and sporting clays, a blackpowder shoot, special raffles and a silent auction, free games for kids, and much more. Tanya McCarlson, of the Falconry and Raptor Education Group will offer a presentation.

Admission to the event is free, and adults are urged to buy $10 in raffle tickets. Updates, directions, and other information is available on the Prairie Pothole Conservation Association’s Facebook page.

APPLY BY AUG. 16 FOR SPECIAL YOUTH DEER HUNTS, PRAIRIE CHICKEN LOTTERY

St. Paul — Hunters can apply for special youth deer hunt permits through Friday, Aug. 16. The number of permits for each hunt is limited. Individual hunts will be held in several state parks on various dates in the fall. These firearms hunts are for youth who are ages 12-15 at the time of the hunt and are accompanied by an adult.

Special youth deer hunts are different from the statewide youth deer season, which takes place Oct. 17-20 and does not require an application. See information about special youth deer hunts on the DNR website.

Hunters also can apply through Friday, Aug. 16, to be chosen for one of 125 permits for the 2024 Minnesota prairie chicken hunting season. The nine-day prairie chicken season begins Saturday, Sept. 28, and is open to state residents only. The hunt takes place in northwestern Minnesota from St. Hilaire south to Breckenridge. Hunters who are awarded a permit in the lottery are required to purchase a prairie chicken hunting license prior to hunting. See details about the season at www.mndnr.gov/hunting/prairiechicken.