Iowa

DNR sets public meetings to recap hunting, trapping seasons, discuss possible rule changes

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested.

“We want people to come out to these meetings, listen to the seasons reviews, ask questions and hear directly from our staff,” said Todd Bishop, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau. “Part of the meeting will be devoted to discussing potential rule changes and collecting feedback as we work through the rules process.”

The meetings are open to the public. Comments collected from these public meetings will be considered along with other related comments received by the Iowa DNR prior to proposing changes to hunting rules and regulations. Proposed rules will be presented to the Natural Resource Commission during a regular public meeting for consideration and additional public comment.

Comments received during previous listening sessions have resulted in regulation changes, including modifying and removing areas closed to Canada goose hunting, establishing later goose season dates and increased bag limit, expanding the raccoon hunting and trapping season on private land, modifying Iowa’s antlerless deer quotas in north central and western Iowa, and extending the regular trapping season through the end of February.

Meeting date, time and location

Waverly, March 2, 6 p.m., Waverly Public Library, 1500 W. Bremer Avenue

Bloomfield, March 3, 6 p.m., Pioneer Ridge Nature Center, 1339 Hwy. 63

Boone, March 3, 6 p.m., Wildlife Research Station, 1436 255th Street

Burlington, March 3, 6 p.m., Burlington Public Library, 210 Court St.

Chariton, March 3, 6 p.m., Pin Oak Lodge, 45996 State Hwy. 14

Creston, March 3, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Building multi-purpose room (124), 1201 West Townline Street

Decorah, March 3, 7 p.m., Franklin W. Olin Building, Room 102, Luther College, 700 College Drive, next to the Prues Library

Des Moines, March 3, 6:45 p.m., Des Moines Izaak Walton, 4343 George Flagg Parkway

Maquoketa, March 3, 7 p.m., Hurstville Interpretive Center, 18670 63rd Street

Spencer, March 3, 6:30 p.m., Iowa Lakes Community College, 1900 Grand Ave. Suite B1, Entrance #1-West side of the North Mall

Iowa City, March 4, 5:30 p.m., Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Hwy 218 South

Charles City, March 4, 6:30 p.m., Public Library Zastrow Room, 910 Clark Street

Okoboji, March 4, 6 p.m., Maser Monarch Lodge, 22785 Nature Center Road

Perry, March 4, 6 p.m., Dallas County Conservation Board, Forest Park Museum administration building, 14581 K Avenue

Algona, March 5, 7 p.m., Tietz Entrepreneurial Center at the Algona campus of Iowa Lakes Community College, 2111 Hwy 169 North

Council Bluffs, March 5, 5:30 p.m., Bass Pro Shops, 2901 Bass Pro Drive

Hinton, March 5, 5 p.m., Dennis L. Sohl Center for Outdoor Learning, Hillview Recreation Area, 25601 C60

Lake View, March 5, 6:30 p.m., Speaker Park Shelter House, 418 North Blossom Street

Toledo, March 5, 5:30 p.m., Tama County Nature Center at Otter Creek Lake Park, 2283 Park Road

Ventura, March 5, 6 p.m., Clear Lake Wildlife Unit Office, 15326 Balsam Ave.

Any person attending the public meeting that has special requirements, such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments, should contact the Iowa DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.

Michigan

DNR advises waterfowl hunters to safeguard against bird flu amid outbreak

Simple health and safety precautions can limit the spread of HPAI

Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials are reminding waterfowl hunters to take precautions to protect themselves and domestic animals from highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. This fall, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has reported increasing outbreaks of HPAI in commercial and backyard poultry flocks, including new detections in counties with popular waterfowl hunting destinations.

The DNR reports more HPAI detections in 2025 than were found in 2024; 130 wild birds have tested positive for HPAI in Michigan, with most detections in Canada geese, bald eagles and red-tailed hawks. Wildlife detections and pending cases are posted on the DNR’s HPAI webpage.

The disease has been found in every Michigan watershed, indicating that it has occurred throughout the state.

HPAI has been detected in surrounding states and other parts of the U.S. as well. Hunters traveling out of state are advised to follow all health and safety precautions regardless of where they are hunting. Visit the USDA H5N1 Influenza webpage for more information about national detections and response.

Michigan’s earliest waterfowl season opened Sept. 1 and the final season closes Feb. 15. Learn more at Michigan.gov/Waterfowl.

“Make sure to take appropriate precautions when field dressing wild birds. In order to kill the virus, use a food thermometer to ensure that meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Dr. Scott Larsen, DNR wildlife veterinarian. “It’s also important to properly clean and disinfect gear and equipment before coming into contact with domestic birds.”

HPAI is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes sickness and sometimes death in wild birds and mammals. HPAI infections can occur at any time of the year, but upticks are expected during spring and fall waterfowl migrations. Wild birds can carry HPAI without appearing sick.

Anyone who observes a die-off of six or more wild birds should report it through the DNR Eyes in the Field online tool or a local DNR field office.

Precautions for waterfowl hunters

The risk of HPAI infecting people is low, but the virus can spread through direct contact with infected animals or material. Hunters should always take precautions when handling wild birds to avoid contracting or spreading bird flu:

Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead.

Process wild birds in the field. Remains from processed birds should be buried on-site or double-bagged and disposed of with household trash.

Wear rubber or disposable gloves while handling and cleaning wild birds, and wash hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleanser, even if hands are not visibly soiled.

Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth when handling wild birds.

Do not eat, drink or smoke while handling or cleaning wild birds.

Cook all meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any viruses.

Thoroughly clean and disinfect all knives, equipment and surfaces that come into contact with wild birds.

If you have close contact with obviously sick or dead wild birds, or surfaces contaminated by them, monitor for these symptoms for 10 days after your last exposure:

Fever with temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit or chills. Fever may not always be present.

Sore throat.

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

Eye tearing, redness or irritation.

Runny or stuffy nose.

Muscle or body aches.

For more information about HPAI and human health, visit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services webpage for Communicable Disease Information and Resources or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage for Avian Flu.

Minnesota

Minnesota DNR requesting feedback on hunting, fishing regulations books

Anglers, hunters and trappers are invited to share their thoughts with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources about the regulations books published annually to inform people about how they can legally hunt, trap and fish in the state.

“We are interested in understanding how people access, understand and use the information in these regulations books,” said Sarah Middleton, DNR wildlife rules and regulations coordinator. “To continuously improve how we inform the public about the regulations relevant to their activities, we want to hear from people willing to share their thoughts and experiences with us.”

The DNR produces three regulations books each year for fishing, hunting and trapping, and waterfowl hunting. The regulations books consolidate complex legal requirements into a comprehensive format for public use.

The DNR encourages people to share their thoughts using an online questionnaire on the DNR website through Monday, March 16. People can also submit feedback by email to Sarah.Middleton@state.mn.us or to the DNR Section of Wildlife, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155.

The DNR will analyze feedback this spring and plans to continue engagement efforts throughout 2026. Copies of the regulations books are on the Minnesota DNR fishing regulations webpage and hunting regulations webpage. Printed copies are also available wherever DNR licenses are sold

Explore the outdoors this winter by hunting Minnesota small game

Hunting pheasants, ruffed grouse, squirrels or rabbits offers opportunities to enjoy the Minnesota outdoors as winter begins.

“Winter is a fun time to get out in the crisp air and hunt small game,” said Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “These hunts can be a lot like hikes with the added challenge of pursing some excellent table fare.”

The pheasant hunting season is open through Jan. 4, 2026. On Dec. 1, the daily bag limit increases to three roosters, with a possession limit of nine roosters. Pheasant numbers were up nearly 50% over last year and were 21% above the 10-year average, according to the DNR August Roadside Survey, available on the DNR pheasant hunting webpage. The best places to find pheasants at this time of year are tall grass or cattail marshes. Hunters should remember to exercise caution around thin ice.

Grouse hunting season is also open through Jan. 4, 2026. Wintertime grouse hunters might find success during the “golden hour,” the last hour before sunset, when ruffed grouse move out of their snow roosts to feed.

There’s even more time for squirrels and rabbits in a season that stretches through Feb. 28, 2026. Winter is breeding season for squirrels, which means they are active and easier to find. And rabbit hunters tend to find the most success around thick cover like brush piles, thorn tangles and briars. This has been a banner year for cottontail rabbits, with populations at a 60-year high, according to the August Roadside Survey.

Fisher, martin and bobcat trapping opens Saturday, Dec. 13, so hunters should be aware of this season while in the woods. Hunters also can find regulations and complete bag limit information on the Minnesota DNR website. More information about how or where to hunt can be found on the DNR’s learn to hunt webpages. Recorded webinars with tips on how to hunt pheasants, grouse, squirrels or rabbits are available in the webinar archive on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the DNR’s website.

Minnesota DNR announces public land sale

Online auction to be held Dec. 2-16 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will offer state lands in Carlton, Clearwater, St. Louis, and Wadena counties during an upcoming public land sale. These rural properties might appeal to adjacent landowners or offer recreational opportunities, such as hunting or camping.

Minnesota law directs the DNR to sell surplus land by public auction. The December online public land auction is in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Administration at MNBid.mn.gov, Minnesota’s Surplus Services online auction website. Properties will be available for bidding starting the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 2, and closing through Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, as posted. The DNR land sale webpage has more information about the online public land auction, a preview of lands for sale, and details on how to register for an account to bid on properties.

The DNR actively manages its land portfolio over time and regularly offers to sell land that no longer meets the state’s conservation, recreation, or economic needs. This December, 188 of the 190 acres for sale are school trust lands. One of the trust parcels for sale in Fredenberg Township offers 67 acres of recreational space near Island Lake Reservoir, located northwest of Duluth. The DNR has a fiduciary responsibility to manage school trust lands for the benefit of K-12 public education.

School trust lands were granted to the state by the federal government to generate a continual source of income for public education. The DNR is selling four parcels of school trust land that have limited opportunities to generate income. Revenue from the school trust land sales will go into the Permanent School Fund, which supports 850,000 students in K-12 public education by distributing revenue to every public and charter school in the state. 

Visit the DNR land sale webpage for more information and to find out how to bid on the parcels. For questions about a specific property, call 651-259-5432, 888-646-6367, or email min.landsale@state.mn.us.