Brian Mozey

“We’re just trying to get a good idea of what that reproduction effort has looked like for the year,” said Nate Huck, Minnesota DNR resident game bird specialist. (Stock photo)

Minnesota's 2024 legislative session approved new language allowing the Kittson Central elk herd to grow its population no more than 130% of the 2023 population estimate. That means the elk herd can’t surpass 98 elk, while the Grygla and Caribou-Vitae must herds stay the same under agricultural damage protocols controlling their populations. (Minnesota DNR photo)

Access areas along the Mississippi River are flooded and have become unusable, like Lions Levee Park in St. Paul Park. The dock has been underwater and the water is flooding part of the parking lot. (Photo courtesy of Joel Stiras/Minnesota DNR)

Jacob Skorloken, 39, caught a northern pike that he measured at 47.5 inches, which would’ve broken the Minnesota state C&R record of 46.25 inches. The only problem was that Skorloken didn’t take complete photo measurements to submit to the Minnesota DNR, so the agency can’t officially name him as the record holder. (Photo courtesy of Jacob Skorloken)

Minnesota's new Keystone WMA consists of rolling hills of prairie for prime upland bird habitat. It also has wooded forests and more than 400 wetland basins. It’s a perfect place for hunting, trapping, bird watching, hiking, and many other outdoor activities. The goal for the DNR is to have the 450-acre parcel open to the public by the fall for the hunting seasons. (Photo by Brian Mozey)

LSOHC members toured Keystone WMA (above) in Hugo and May Township. The new Minnesota WMA was previously owned by Kelley Farms and has 1,833 acres of land that will be open for public access once the land is cleaned up. Proponents hope to have pieces of the WMA open this fall for hunting and then the rest available in a year or two. (Photos by Brian Mozey)

Legislation from the 2024 Minnesota legislative session provided $1 million per year for eight years to update the public waters inventory map and list. It hasn’t been thoroughly updated since the 1980s (Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR)

“With respect to hunting, if you are participating in an active hunt, you can have your dog off-leash,” said Cathleen Quinn, the U.S. Forest Service’s wilderness program manager.

Planktothrix rubescens typically disappears after the winter season, but St. Olaf Lake in Minnesota had a red-brown water color for a few weeks this spring because of the bacteria. The bacteria produces a liver toxin that can cause irritation to skin and can kill pets and livestock if they drink the water. (Photo courtesy of Craig Soupir)

Randy Prachar, Minnesota DNR Roseau River WMA wildlife supervisor, retired July 5, after 36 years with the agency. He spent most of his time at the Roseau River WMA and the Thief Lake WMA. (Photo courtesy of Randy Prachar)