Archers do well at Camp Ripley hunt
Archery hunters who participated in the Oct. 28-30 Camp Ripley Hunt near Little Falls had good success, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This year, 1,953 participating hunters harvested 221 deer during the three-day hunt, including several large bucks weighing more than 220 pounds. Last year, 1,949 hunters harvested 273 deer during the hunt.
The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event to manage the deer population. The DNR coordinates the hunts in collaboration with Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program, which sends students pursuing careers in wildlife management to help check deer, and the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation. More details are available on the DNR Camp Ripley hunt page.
DNR certified two new state record fish
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has certified two new state record fish so far this fall: in the catch-and-release category, a 58.25-inch muskellunge fish caught on Mille Lacs Lake by Eric Bakke of Princeton; and in the certified weight category, a one pound 12-ounce hybrid sunfish from Green Lake in Kandiyohi County that tied the existing record.
Previous news releases are available for the muskie and for the sunfish.
Find current records and guidelines for each type of state record on the DNR record fish page.
DNR webinars cover wildlife photography, visiting Minnesota state parks
The DNR invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to tune in to upcoming webinars that will discuss wildlife photography and outdoor opportunities at Minnesota state parks.
The first webinar is at noon Wednesday, Nov. 16. Gordon Dietzman, a retired national park ranger, will discuss what it takes to become a better wildlife photographer, including equipment, where to look for subjects, techniques, composition and ethics.
The second webinar is at noon Wednesday, Nov. 23. Sara Joy Berhow from the DNR’s Parks and Trails division will share all of the great things happening at Minnesota state parks and how you can get active in some of Minnesota’s amazing natural places, including on Free Park Day on Friday, Nov. 25.
The webinars are part of the DNR’s Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series. The webinars are free but registration is required. More information is available on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the DNR website.
Deer harvest numbers available online
Hunters, media and anyone interested in deer harvest data can find current season figures and harvest reports for past years on the DNR deer reports and statistics page. The page also features an interactive map and graph that visualizes the data.