Waterfowl Season Opens Tomorrow In Minnesota

Minnesota’s waterfowl season opens tomorrow a half hour before sunrise, and according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, it should be a good year for hunters.

Temperatures have been mild so far this fall season and the area has not seen a cold push from the north. Because of that, the DNR expects hunters most likely will not see migratory waterfowl, but will likely find a high amount of local birds such as wood ducks and mallards.

“The numbers look good. The federal pond counts, the Canadian Province pond counts, those look okay. The duck counts are above the ten-year average, I believe, for most of them. There’s a lot of different species and a lot of different counts,” explained Robert Rabasco, Brainerd Assistant Area Wildlife Manager at the Minnesota DNR. “But in general, it looks like it’s above average, so it should be pretty good.”

To go hunting for waterfowl, those over the age of 16 must purchase a small game license, a state duck stamp, and a federal duck stamp.