Natalie Ryder

While spending Minnesota’s Sept. 1 bear-hunt opener watching a bait in Bear Permit Area 31, it was unusually quiet as Laura Gaulke, of Cloquet, said she’d seen only a squirrel and a grouse. So when a big black bear strolled up to her bait after shooting hours ended, it made sense why the area was seemingly serene.
“I think he pretty much owned it (the area). [There were] no wolves, and in northern Minnesota, not to see or hear wolves is unreal,” Gaulke said.
After seeing the size of the bear, Gaulke walked out of the woods. She returned the next day and waited for the big bruiser to materialize again.

With the Minnesota moose population holding steady at around 4,000 animals, tribal hunts will continue in northeastern Minnesota on respective reservations. Together, all hunts could result in a take of 65 moose.
Minnesota DNR deer, moose, and elk scientist Amanda McGraw’s key takeaways from this year’s moose population survey were that the population seems to have stabilized since its early 2000s nosedive, but there’s more to learn about the population. 

With a delay in moving elk from northwestern to northeastern Minnesota for at least a year, the northeast elk management plan might not be available for public comment on schedule, either.
“The project team members are still working through various internal evaluation processes to review an initial draft of the Northeast Omashkooz (elk) Restoration and Management Plan,” said Kelsie LaSharr, Minnesota DNR elk biologist, via email.
Originally, the timeline for moving elk from the northwest to the northeast was set to begin in the spring of 2026.