Serving up 4 critical habitat plates
The DNR announced the selection of four new critical habitat license plate.
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The new designs feature a showy lady's-slipper, a northern Minnesota fishing scene, a majestic white-tailed buck and a black-capped chickadee.
The plates were designed by DNR staff using photographs and wildlife stamp art. The white-tailed buck image belongs to Fort Ripley wildlife photographer Bill Marchel, whose photos appear in the Dispatch and many regional and national publications. According to the DNR, artists and photographers receive some compensation if their images are chosen.
These are the first new critical habitat license plate design options available to Minnesota motorists in seven years.
The four new license plates - picked from eight finalists - are now available at all deputy registrar offices statewide, as are the existing loon and white-tailed deer plates, which will continue to be offered.
Motorists who purchase a critical habitat plate make a minimum contribution of $30 to the Reinvest in Minnesota program. They also are required to make a minimum contribution of $30 each year to renew the plate. Every dollar generated through the sale of the license plates is matched with private donations of cash or land.
More than 29,000 people participated in two surveys conducted by the DNR earlier this year to gather citizen and stakeholder input about favorite designs. DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion weighed the survey results and accompanying comments in selecting the four designs.
To order plates over the phone or for questions about ordering a critical habitat license plate, call the Department of Public Safety-Driver and Vehicle Services at (651) 297-3304.
DNR seeks comments on temporary hunting rules
Minnesotans have until June 26 to submit written comments or requests for public hearings on a number of temporary regulations that are proposed to become permanent.
The proposals relate to a variety of areas pertaining to individual wildlife management areas and game refuges, deer hunting regulations, bear hunting regulations, upland game birds, migratory game birds, prairie chickens and waterfowl.
The only new rule included in the package would prohibit the use of bait for turkey hunting. A copy of the proposed rules and additional information about the rules process will be available online at after Tuesday.
Comments may be submitted to Jason Abraham, Box 20, DNR, 500 Lafayette
Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4020 or by e-mail at Jason.Abraham@dnr.state.mn.us. Input also will be accepted via the DNR's Web site at mndnr.gov/input/rules/wildliferules/index.html.
Provisions currently in effect through temporary rules that would become permanent include:
• Special provisions for some Wildlife Management Areas, State Game and
Waterfowl Refuges, waterfowl Controlled Hunting Zones and migratory
feeding and resting areas;
• Rules pertaining to national wildlife refuges and federal waterfowl production areas.
• Deer zone and date options, deer tagging procedure and deer license validation procedures.
• Bag limits for deer in intensive, managed, lottery, early season deer areas and metro and bovine tuberculosis deer management zones.
• Muzzleloader deer seasons and areas.
• Seasons for taking ruffed and spruce grouse, pheasants and gray partridge.