Minnesota's primary grouse range offers a number of hunter walking trails that wind their way through Wildlife Management Areas, sometimes connecting with state forests and other public hunting lands. They provide comparatively easy access to areas where grouse and woodcock may abound.

First, install Google Earth on your smartphone. Then visit the DNR hunter walking trails page to download a KLM file, allowing your smartphone to display all the trails and link to a satellite overview map of each trail when you're in the field.

Licenses to hunt wild turkeys from Saturday, Sept. 28, to Sunday, Oct. 27, are available online, by phone at 888-665-4236 and wherever hunting fishing licenses are sold.

You'll need to pick one area to hunt from 12 choices. But the geographic area of each permit area is large and encompasses more than one county. Blaze orange is not required unless you're hunting in an area with an open youth firearms deer season or firearms special hunt.

If hunting on private land, make sure you obtain permission and remember that a turkey must be harvested within the permit area you choose.

Waterfowl hunters seldom think of themselves as boaters, but in fact they are and need to follow the same safety precautions and laws as boaters every time they head out on the water. Check out the DNR's new safety brochure.

Remember that all hunters regardless of age must purchase a $3 validation to legally access private lands enrolled in the Walk-In Access program.

A 72-hour small game license is available to residents and non-residents this fall.

This new license, which can be purchased via smartphone, makes for a quick getaway to field and forest.