Hunting of all kinds is plentiful in Western Minnesota. 62,000 acres of managed wetland, woodland and prairie are available to the hunting enthusiast. These Wildlife Management Areas offer an abundance of duck, pheasant, deer and goose hunting.

The area's best known attraction is the Canadian goose. Birdwatchers and hunters alike delight in the immense flocks that stop on their way south. The geese that stop over on their migration to our Prairie Waters region are part of the eastern prairie population of Canadian geese. They nest in northern Manitoba along the western shore of Hudson Bay and migrate to Manitoba, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri.

Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area and Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, as well as other Minnesota locations, are stopovers along their journey. Typically they winter in the Swan Lake area of Missouri, although in recent years, more are wintering in Minnesota. According to DNR statistics, Minnesota has become one of the top states for the harvest of Canadian geese. Minnesota takes about one third of the allowed EPP goose harvest, 85% of which is taken in west central Minnesota.

In Lac qui Parle, west and northwest goose zones, approximately 30,000 birds are taken annually. Minnesota offers both early September and December special seasons to allow additional hunting opportunities to harvest native population giant Canadian geese.

In addition to the geese, the DNR is establishing wild turkeys in our area for hunting. Additional wild turkeys were released in Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine counties. Applications for spring or fall turkey permits can be made to : Turkey Hunt • DNR License Bureau • Box 26 • 500 Lafayette Road • St. Paul, MN 55155-4026. Yellow Medicine county is included in the turkey hunting zone.

Deer hunting in Western Minnesota has always been popular. Black- powder hunting has made a big comeback in this part of the state. Bow hunting has also increased in numbers. The hunters are looking for more of a challenge in these two forms of deer hunting.

The pheasant population in the Prairie Waters region had seen an increase in the past few years but with the hard winter of 1997, a slight decrease resulted. There are, however, large numbers of pheasants in our six county region.

With all the wetlands in our six counties the duck hunting has been very good. Some of the more common duck to our region are mallard, teal, wood duck, northern mallard and canvas backs.

Other possible hunting areas:

Danvers Wildlife Management Area (Danvers Slough) 8 miles west of Benson near Danvers on Hwy. 12.

Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area • Route 1 Box 23 • Watson, MN 56295. Phone 320.734.4451.

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, Located just south of Ortonville on Hwys. 7 & 75. • Rt. 1 Box 25 • Odessa, MN 56276. Phone 320.273.2191.

Department of Natural Resources Office. (Stevens County) • RR.3 • Glenwood, MN 56334. Phone 320.634.4573. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Office. Approximately 2,600 acres of wildlife management area for public hunting. Maps available.

Morris Wetland Management District • RR. 1 Box 877 • Morris, MN 56267. Phone 320.589.1001. 55 federal water fowl production acres, 9,315 acres open to public hunting. Maps available.

For more information call the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157