On October 24-25, Rydell National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) will again be hosting a special Mentored Youth Deer Hunt for kids age 12-15, in cooperation with the Minnesota DNR. Rydell is the only NWR in Minnesota that offers this special “mentored” deer hunting opportunity. A total of 15 youth will be allowed to participate in this hunt. Participating youth will be required to hunt with a parent, guardian, or mentor. They will be allowed to harvest up to three deer on the Refuge; only one of which can be antlered. One requirement for youth hunt participants is that they complete a mandatory orientation session. Normally, this session is held at the Refuge Visitor Center on the Sunday prior to the hunt. However, this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the orientation will be done either virtually or through mailed out materials. Successful hunt applicants will be informed of the final decisions related to the orientation, as well as other potential changes to the hunt which are necessary, due to COVID-19.
Interested youth must apply for this hunt no later than Aug. 14th. Applications can be completed at any DNR license agent or online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense.
For more information on this unique hunting opportunity, go to https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/deer/youth-deer-hunts.html or contact Gregg Knutsen, Refuge Manager, at 218-686-4329 / gregg_knutsen@fws.gov
Additionally, Rydell NWR has hosted a three-day Accessible Deer Hunt, for people with disabilities each year, since the mid-1990s. This year, the hunt will be held on October 8-10. The hunt is primarily coordinated by the Options Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living (Options) in East Grand Forks, MN. If you are interested or know someone who might be interested in participating in this Accessible Deer Hunt, contact Randy Sorenson (Options’ Executive Director) at 800-726-3692, for information on how to apply.
