Waterfowl hunting regulations available Hunters looking for duck and goose season dates and regulations can find the information they need in the 2021 Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting Regulations handbook, available on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website and in August wherever DNR licenses are sold. The early Canada goose season and experimental teal season begin Saturday, Sept. 4, and the regular duck and goose season opens Saturday, Sept. 25.

The DNR has adopted several changes to state waterfowl hunting regulations for 2021, including implementing a five-day early teal season, increasing the bag limit for dark geese, extending legal shooting hours to sunset, allowing statewide over-water goose hunting during the early September season, and changing seasons dates in the south duck zone with a five day split instead of 12 days. Additionally, motorized spinning-wing decoys may be used statewide during the early teal season and throughout the entire waterfowl season, including on wildlife management areas.

Waterfowl hunting licenses are available for sale at any DNR license agent, by telephone at 888-665-4236, or online at mndnr.gov/buyalicense.

Apply through Aug. 20 for special youth deer hunts Minnesota has special hunting opportunities for youth deer hunters. There is a limited number of permits for each hunt, with the individual hunts taking place on various dates during the fall in state parks and a national wildlife refuge. Adults must accompany youth during these hunts. Hunters may apply for special youth hunt permits through Friday, Aug. 20. More information is available in on the DNR website. Special youth deer hunts are different from the statewide youth deer season that does not require an application and takes place Oct. 21-24.

Process for registering bear baits simplified for 2021 bear season Beginning with the 2021 bear-baiting season, hunters no longer need to use email addresses to register their bait stations. The use of email addresses had caused registration issues in the past.

Effective this year, hunters will simply need to provide their first and last names, date of birth, and their DNR customer number. Outfitters will need to provide their first and last names, date of birth and license number, and identify whether they are a master bear outfitter or a resident bear outfitter.

See the “Bait stations” section on the DNR bear hunting webpage for links to register baits. The registration site will be live before the bear-baiting season begins — and for about two weeks after it ends — but hunters may not begin baiting until the baiting season begins Friday, Aug. 13, and may not bait after the bear season closes on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Hunters invited to webinar on bears and bear hunting basics    Hunters who want to hear about bear biology, management and hunting basics are invited to join a webinar from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at noon on Wednesday, July 28. The webinar is part of the DNR’s Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series, which aims to give participants quick, relevant information on upcoming seasons and events, and skills to help enjoy these opportunities. Registration is free and more information is available on the DNR website.