2 weeks Ago By Staff Reports
ST. PAUL – Anglers and paddlers have wasted little time getting out on open water across Minnesota. But with water temperatures still dangerously low, the Department of Natural Resources reminds anyone around lakes, rivers and ponds that cold water is dangerous and unexpected falls quickly can turn tragic.
About 30% of fatal boating accidents each year happen during the cold-water period, and many involve victims who weren’t wearing a life jacket. The most effective way to survive a fall into cold water is to wear a life jacket and make sure it’s buckled or zipped.“Boats, canoes, and kayaks have been common sights in these early days of the open-water season,” Lisa Dugan, DNR recreation safety outreach coordinator, said in a statement.
“We certainly understand people’s desire to hit the water as soon as possible, but we urge everyone to double down on safety this time of year to avoid getting into a situation with potentially disastrous consequences.”As boaters and paddlers take the season’s first trips to the water, they should: Wear a foam-filled life jacket. (Inflatable life jackets may not fully inflate when the water is cold.
) Ensure their watercraft is registered and equipped with proper safety equipment, and that all equipment is functioning properly. Distribute weight evenly and abide by manufacturers’ weight limits to reduce the likelihood of falling overboard. Have a means of communication and ensure someone knows where they’re going and when they plan to return.
Watch the weather to avoid shifting winds or storms.For more information about staying safe on and around cold water, visit the DNR’s cold water safety page at mndnr.gov/safety/boatwater/cold-water.
html.Take the Mentor PledgeST. PAUL – With spring turkey season underway, the DNR and Pheasants Forever are inviting Minnesota hunters to take the Hunter Mentor Pledge and take someone turkey hunting who has never hunted or hasn’t hunted for a few years.
After submitting a short recap of their hunt together, Minnesota hunters and those they mentor will have the chance to win a custom, limited-edition prize from Pheasants Forever.The program is open to all spring wild turkey and light goose hunters. Experienced hunters can invite a new hunter of any age if the new hunter has the proper license/tag necessary and either the mentee hunter’s safety or apprentice hunter validation.
Participation is simple: hunters visit the Pheasants Forever website and take the pledge at pheasantsforever.org/mndnr. After taking the pledge, hunters are asked to bring a novice or returning hunter on a hunt during the season and snap a picture or short video during the hunting trip.
The last step is to submit contact information, a hunt recap and a photo or video on the submission page to be entered for prize giveaways. All online entries must be received by June 30.The Minnesota DNR has helpful information for new hunters and experienced hunters who would like to share their skills with new hunters.
To learn more, visit the Minnesota DNR take a friend hunting webpage at mndnr.gov/gohunting/take-friend-hunting.html.
Mom Fishing Weekend setST. PAUL – Moms who live in Minnesota are invited to join a free virtual fishing challenge during Take a Mom Fishing Weekend on Saturday, May 10, through Sunday, May 11, when Minnesota moms can fish without purchasing a fishing license.To participate in the challenge, moms simply need to join the 2025 Minnesota Moms Fishing Challenge Facebook group and submit one photo of each fish they catch on May 10-11.
All participants who submit a fish will be entered in a random drawing for prizes provided by the Student Angler Organization and their partners.Before the challenge begins, participants are invited to join pre-challenge fishing 101 webinars hosted by Women Anglers of Minnesota. The first webinar, on trout fishing, will be at 6:30 p.
m. Tuesday, May 6. The second webinar, on shore and lake fishing, will be at 6:30 p.
m. Thursday, May 8. The webinars will take place in the challenge Facebook group.
Participants can join either webinar or both. The 2025 Minnesota Moms Fishing Challenge is a collaboration between the Minnesota DNR, Student Angler Organization – studentangler.org – and Women Anglers of Minnesota, womenanglersmn.
com.To see challenge details and sign up to get notified when the challenge goes live, visit the Take a Mom Fishing webpage at mndnr.gov/takemomfishing.
The challenge Facebook group is scheduled to go live Friday, April 25.This is the third year the DNR and its partners are hosting the Minnesota Moms Fishing Challenge. During the 2024 challenge, more than 3,000 Minnesota moms from across the state participated, catching 1,500 fish.
The Minnesota Legislature established Take a Mom Fishing Weekend in 1988 to coincide with Mother’s Day. Fishing season dates and regulations are available on the Minnesota DNR fishing webpage at mndnr.gov/fishing.
More information about how and where to fish, fishing equipment, ways to catch different kinds of fish, and fishing ethics and stewardship is available on the Minnesota DNR learn to fish webpage at mndnr.gov/gofishing.DNR: Report fish die-offsST.
PAUL – The Minnesota DNR encourages Minnesotans to contact the state duty officer if they see evidence of a fish die-off in a lake, river or stream. Fish die-offs can result from a variety of natural and human causes.To report fish die-offs, people should call the Minnesota duty officer at (651) 649‐5451 or (800) 422‐0798 (the duty officer line is staffed 24 hours per day, seven days a week).
An early report facilitates timely water and fish sampling and other response actions, if needed. It’s especially helpful to know what sizes and types of fish people see in a fish die-off.More information on fish die-offs is available on the Minnesota DNR website at mndnr.
gov/fisheries/fishkills.html.DNR celebrates volunteersST.
PAUL – More than 14,500 volunteers helped the Minnesota DNR do everything from monitoring rainfall levels to clearing trails in 2024, according to the annual DNR volunteer report – files.dnr.state.
mn.us/volunteering/2024-annual-DNR-volunteer-report.pdf.
The report is being released in celebration of National Volunteer Week, (April 20-26), when organizations across the country honor volunteers and recognize the impact of their time and talents.“Minnesotans are well known for having a giving spirit and commitment to the great outdoors,” DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said in a statement. “I see that reflected in the immense contributions of our volunteers each year, and I can’t overstate how grateful the DNR is for their service and the valuable contributions they make to our natural resources across the state.
”The DNR’s volunteer program is one of the largest among Minnesota state agencies. According to the annual volunteer report, the value of volunteer services in 2024 totaled an estimated $7 million. Volunteers help the DNR with a wide variety of activities, including teaching firearms safety, improving wildlife habitat, hosting in state park campgrounds, planting trees, tagging fish, assisting at outdoor candlelight hike events and monitoring precipitation.
For the sixth consecutive year, Minnesota led the nation in 2025 for the number of volunteers recruited for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network to measure and gather data about precipitation across the state.The DNR established a department-wide volunteer program in 1988. Over the past 37 years, Minnesotans have contributed more than 13.
1 million hours of volunteer service to help manage the state’s natural resources. The value of this service is estimated at more than $259 million.Read about more of the DNR’s volunteers on the meet our volunteers webpage at mndnr.
gov/volunteering/meet.html. To become a volunteer or for more information, visit the DNR’s volunteer webpage at mndnr.
gov/volunteering.ND program seeks artistsBISMARCK – The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department and North Dakota Council on the Arts are accepting applications for the Artist in Residency program. Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply.
The Artist in Residency program provides artists the opportunity to stay and work in North Dakota state parks, offering unique environments where they’ll draw inspiration, demonstrate their skills, and invite park visitors of all ages to connect art with the outdoors.Three artists will be invited to stay at one of the following parks as a collaborative effort to incorporate arts into the educational programming conducted by the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Cross Ranch State Park: Aug.
4-13. Turtle River State Park: Aug. 10-17.
Fort Ransom State Park: June 2-8. “This partnership with North Dakota Council on the Arts allows us to create meaningful connections between the arts, nature and outdoor education,” Cody Schulz, North Dakota Parks and Recreation director, said in a news release. “These residencies invite artists to interpret our landscapes through their unique lenses, while giving park visitors the chance to experience nature and creativity in a new way.
”Artworks generated from this program portray North Dakota’s beauty through the eyes and ears of contributing artists to enrich generations of park visitors. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department has highlighted several artists’ work with video interviews, which can be viewed at parkrec.nd.
gov/art-parks.Participating artists must be North Dakota residents and provide a minimum of two onsite presentations, one of them being a hands-on workshop providing park visitors of all ages an opportunity to try out the artist’s skills, methods and/or tools. Artists are also required to donate a piece of art representing their style and reflecting their residency to the park’s collection.
Interested artists can obtain additional information and an application at https://forms.office.com/g/y14EkKJRwx.
Applications must be sent by email to [email protected] on or before May 23.
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