The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a series of spring open houses at 35 locations throughout the state to invite public conversation with local wildlife managers about deer and deer management.
In Detroit Lakes, one-on-one conversations can be had all day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on March 18 at the Detroit Lakes Area DNR Office at 14583 County Road 19.
An open house will also be held on March 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Twin Valley Community Center at 107 Second St. SW in Twin Valley.
Open house attendees can discuss their general concerns about deer, and learn about last year’s harvest data for their individual deer permit area. They also can ask about chronic wasting disease and get information about managing private woodlands for quality deer habitat. In addition, information on wolf management and the process to update the DNR’s wolf management plan will be available.
“The input provided from these open houses helps inform the deer season regulations for the upcoming fall and is a good opportunity for the local wildlife managers to meet the public they serve,” said John Williams, northwest region wildlife manager for the DNR. “The feedback from people who participated in past open houses has been valuable and we anticipate another round of good conversation and information sharing.”
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The DNR began these local, open-house style meetings in 2018 with the release of its deer management plan. The department continues to use them as a way to encourage discussions about deer and deer management, enhance local relationships and foster two-way communication between the DNR and the public.
No formal presentations are planned and people can arrive any time during the scheduled open house times. Interested people who can’t attend a scheduled meeting are encouraged to contact a local wildlife manager for additional information or to address any questions about deer management.
