DNR news releases, Dec. 9, 2013

MINNESOTA DNR NEWS #92                                                                              Dec. 9, 2013 
All news releases are available in the DNR’s website newsroom at www.mndnr.gov/news.
Follow the DNR on Twitter @mndnr.

IN THIS ISSUE
Preliminary 2013 firearms deer harvest numbers released
Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission to meet Dec. 11
Question of the week: winter bird feeding

 

DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Preliminary 2013 firearms deer harvest numbers released

Minnesota hunters harvested 164,550 deer during the 2013 firearms season, according to preliminary numbers announced by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Excluding the late season in southeastern Minnesota, hunters harvested 144,000 deer, a 6 percent drop from the 153,000 harvested in 2012. Preliminary numbers for the late season in southeastern Minnesota show hunters harvested 4,400 deer, down from the 5,000 harvested in 2012.

The statewide muzzleloader season remains open through Sunday, Dec. 15. The archery season closes on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

Deer harvest numbers are calculated using data provided by hunters when they register a deer.  A final report, which includes more detailed harvest information, will be released at the end of January.

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DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                    Dec. 9, 2013

Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission to meet Dec. 11

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission will meet Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Hospitality Minnesota, 305 Roselawn Ave. E., St. Paul.

The commission, established this past legislative session, is responsible for developing a system plan for parks and trails in Greater Minnesota. The commission has been meeting since October and will submit its first report to the Legislature in January.

Agendas and minutes from previous meetings, plus a list of commission members, can be found on the new Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission website at www.legacy.leg.mn/gmrptc.

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DNR QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: Not every bird species migrates from Minnesota to warmer climates down south before winter sets in - some stay behind. Is there anything that can be done to help these brave birds survive winter?

A: An easy plan for winter bird feeding is to provide three main choices of food – large seeds, small seeds, and suet. Black-oil sunflower seeds and cardinal mixes have the greatest appeal to the broadest variety of winter birds and contain a high-energy content.

Water is a critical ingredient of a winter-feeding program. There are excellent birdbaths with heating elements and thermostats available from bird feeding supply stores. The heated water is primarily for drinking. Don't worry about birds freezing if they bathe on a cold winter day because native song birds seem smart enough not to bathe when the wind chill is 40 below.

For more information on winter bird feeding, check out the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/birdfeeding/winter.

- Carrol Henderson, DNR nongame wildlife program supervisor