Greetings All,

The temperatures are dispensing summer vibes, but the changing leaves and hunting regulations agree: fall is here!

After spending the last weekend enjoying some time outdoors in NW Aitkin County on public lands and waters, I returned feeling privileged to have such access to outdoor spaces to hunt, fish, and connect with friends. A weekend outdoors, in parallel with the beginning of Minnesota’s duck season, has started to become a tradition for myself and a few friends. We keep things pretty simple and spend most of our hunting time focused on either pass shooting on a funnel spot on a small river.

Enough action warranted firing up the grill Saturday evening, and we all agreed that mergansers taste better than they smell. It’s fun to try new things, especially with folks that don’t arrive at the table with preconceptions about which small game tastes “good” and “bad.” That afternoon, a merganser taken on the wing during a long canoe paddle under a hot sun resulted in a celebration worthy of any experienced in the field.

Clean Water. Abundant Food. Healthy Habitat.

For that experience to happen, and the scores of other amazing outdoor memories woven into the lives of Minnesotans across the state last weekend, wildlife need all of those things. Not only for our enjoyment today, but conserved in a manner that allows for them to exist in perpetuity.

Minnesota Conservation Federation is working to ensure that Minnesota conserves our state’s natural resources while providing opportunities for people to experience what it can be like to lead a lifestyle that prioritizes being outdoors and connected to the natural world.

If conservation is important to you, I ask you to help MNCF grow.

We are looking to grow our base of support in Minnesota. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone you know who may be interested in getting in touch with us or making a donation in support of our work.

Yours in Conservation,

Brad Gausman
Executive Director

This fall, MNCF is excited to announce the creation of a new program aimed at providing opportunities for women in Minnesota to experience hunting and the conservation work that goes into providing healthy habitat and clean water for wildlife and people.

In September, MNCF gathered a cohort of 10 women interested in participating together in a wild pheasant hunt. An evening program at the Metro Gun Club in Blaine, MN provided the group with an overview of firearm safety and an opportunity to practice their shooting skills on the trap range.

The highlight of the program will be a pheasant hunt and conservation weekend occurring in tandem with the Minnesota pheasant season opener. Participants will start the weekend learning about conservation work undertaken by local Soil and Water Conservation Districts before visiting private lands in Renville County that have implemented conservation practices on their fields.

A Sunday morning hunt will bring the group together, and, along with a couple of four-legged friends, they will take to the field in search of a rooster.

Be sure to watch for our October newsletter, which will feature a follow-up on the group’s success!

A new consumption advisory has been issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Department of Health for ducks harvested in parts of Green Bay due to the presence of PFAS chemicals.

The advisory recommends limiting consumption to one meal per month of wood duck or mallard from most areas of Green Bay. Additionally, a portion of the bay has been marked as a “do not eat” zone for mallards. This is a striking reality for those who rely on wild ducks as a healthy source of protein in their diets.

Unfortunately, PFAS contamination isn’t just a Wisconsin problem. The Minnesota DNR is also investigating the prevalence of PFAS in duck meat and is continuing research to determine the scope of the issue and its potential impacts on human health. Consumption advisories for PFAS already exist for fish in Minnesota, and current research suggests that duck meat and venison may also pose a pathway for PFAS exposure in people.

A recent Star Tribune article reported that not only is the MN DNR finding PFAS in duck meat, but in the Lake Elmo area, concentrations are being detected at levels much higher than those that triggered consumption advisories in Wisconsin.