As a taxpayer and license buyer, what should be the role of the DNR in your state?
As a sportsperson do you view them as enforcers? Educators? Resource managers? Lawmakers?
Millions get poured into each states DNR budget. How, in your opinion should it be spent?
I think they are doing fine with how they do. We are blessed to have resources like we do. We have it made were as other places do not!
All of the above. There are so many aspects in the DNR. They get a lot of funding, but I’m afraid they fall way short on what they should get or need to do what they need to do. Everyone complains, but everyone also wants them to do more. Just my opinion.
Mission statement
The mission of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is to work with citizens to conserve and manage the state’s natural resources, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and to provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life.
About the mission statement
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources works to integrate and sustain the interdependent values of a healthy environment, a sustainable economy, and livable communities. DNR’s integrated resource management strategy shares stewardship responsibility with citizens and partners to manage for multiple interests. DNR protects the state’s natural heritage by conserving the diversity of natural lands, waters, and fish and wildlife that provide the foundation for Minnesota’s recreational and natural resource-based economy (M.S. 84, M.S. 97A). DNR manages natural lands such as forests, wetlands, and native prairies; maintains healthy populations of fish and wildlife; and protects rare plant and animal communities throughout the state. DNR manages the state’s water resources, sustaining healthy waterways and ground water resources. DNR provides access to enrich public outdoor recreational opportunities, such as hunting, fishing, wildlife-watching, camping, skiing, hiking, biking, motorized recreation, and conservation education through a state outdoor recreation system that includes parks, trails, wildlife management areas, scientific and natural areas, water trails, and other facilities (M.S. 86A). DNR supports natural resource-based economies, managing state forest lands for multiple forest values (M.S. 89), ensuring the maximum long-term economic return from school trust lands (M.S. 127A), and providing other economic opportunities in a manner consistent with sound natural resource conservation and management principles.
With all that said, there’s a great bunch of folks working for the DNR. I haven’t met one bad apple.
However, like my household…there’s always room for improvement.
PS I would not want to be caught in the crossfire these people go through. 
I consider them enforcers and law makers. They go hand in hand, they make more laws in turn to enforce them and make money. The way they are going its gonna be almost impossible to not be breaking the law at some point.
Their resource management skills are not up to par imo. They think they have all the answers and data of how our fish and game are doing. If they really wanted to know they should be talking to the guys/gals who are out there doing it and have been for many years. Then based on them results look over the years to see whats been changed or not changed and take action from there to do what they see fit. I don’t think throwing out a net here and there paints a whole picture for a lake like the size of ML. They don’t really have a clue on deer population and with the recent article in the paper it shows. Also how they down played how many wolves are in the state, now they have become a problem and looking at how to decrease the heard.
The DNR does a decent job but they could use their time and money a lot better.
The DNR is a direct reflection of who you choose to be Governor. Be informed about who you vote for!
-J.
Most people would be surprised to learn how many decisions are made by the State Legislature and not the DNR. They have to do what they’re told, whether they like it or not. Like Jon said, pay close attention to who you vote for.
Rootski
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The DNR is a direct reflection of who you choose to be Governor. Be informed about who you vote for!
-J.
hey, i didn’t vote for that babbling idiot we have in office.
and our DNR has done some good, but they continually fail in certain areas year, after year, after year. and there is excuse for it, nor any reason to blame it on the governor, regardless of who is in office.
Realistically, our DNR pales in comparison to many other states when it comes to effective land and game management. The Dakotas and Missouri come to mind immediately.
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If they really wanted to know they should be talking to the guys/gals who are out there doing it and have been for many years.
They do. They have advisory boards like the walleye advisory board headed by Tom Neustrom.
Huh never heard of any. I will have to talk with Tom about it next time I see him. 
If they really wanted to know they should be talking to the guys/gals who are out there doing it and have been for many years.
Are we the sportsmen and women trained in wildlife management? Or are we, if I see and think there’s a problem then (from the arm chair) have all the answers??
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If they really wanted to know they should be talking to the guys/gals who are out there doing it and have been for many years.
Are we the sportsmen and women trained in wildlife management? Or are we, if I see and think there’s a problem then (from the arm chair) have all the answers??:
You are reading into it wrong. I didn’t say the sportsmen had all the answers!! DNR should be asking more of what size people are catching and how many compared to years past. The sportsmen is nothing more then a source of information for the DNR to take and work off it.
Like I said dropping a couple nets to me doesn’t show the whole picture of a big lake like ML.
Although stocking takes up 20% of the budget, creel surveys are the most expense. One of the reasons nets are used to keep a running total.
Nets don’t have a learning curve.
Nets don’t have to take breaks.
and
Nets don’t have egos and lie.
IMHO 
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nor any reason to blame it on the governor, regardless of who is in office.
The Governor appoints the Commissioner of the DNR. It matter who you vote for.
-J.
I’m going to “sort of” disagree with you Jon.
When push comes to shove…crap runs down hill and the Commissioner listens to the Governor ect, as you are saying.
But really it’s the heads of the departments that make things happen.
The commissioner is just a pretty face.
So, who here actually see a difference between 1 gov and anoter ? Really ? Is Dayton behind all this invasive stuff ??
Jon do you have issues with the new Commish? I don’t know enough about him.
I am not a Dayton fan, but at least he presents himself as an outdoors man of sorts. Besides the fishing opener, I believe he partook in a couple other openers, like the deer opener? I guess I don’t pay attention to Governor openers much to know how often this happened in the past. I mean I know the governor always fishes on the opener, but that was about the extent of what I knew about governor openers.
I also know that just because a governor partakes in these things like Dayton, it doesn’t necessarily make him a good steward of the outdoors.
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So, who here actually see a difference between 1 gov and anoter ? Really ? Is Dayton behind all this invasive stuff ??
I am surprised he keeps his office open with the threat of all the invasives.
And in the interest of fairness.
Why don’t Republican state legislature go fishing? They find it too taxing.
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nor any reason to blame it on the governor, regardless of who is in office.
The Governor appoints the Commissioner of the DNR. It matter who you vote for.
-J.
Kinda like the GOP legislators cramming the spearing ban lift down our throat in the state “budget” bill.
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The commissioner is just a pretty face.
The commissioner set budgets for each department. It’s important to know that this person considers fisheries dept as a critical function. Typically, the commissioner mirrors the goals of the Governor.
-J.
I can not attest to what happens in MN, but in WI, the DNR has people out at the lakes landings (different lakes all the time)in both the summer and winter. These people are not wardens but they are out there to meet people as they come off the lake, they do “fish surveys” they ask people how many fish they caught, how many they threw back, how many they kept and how long they were out fishing.
I have talked to a few of them (normally on Balsam Lake)..
WI doesn’t have the same means when it comes to deer hunting, but they do have a survey on their website where you can keep track of what you are seeing for whitetails for each day and if you harvested a deer, how long you hunted and if you were on public or private land. You can then submit your results to the DNR for their use on helping to figure out deer populations. I did the survey last year but kinda forgot about it this year.
I guess we need to keep our voices heard and if it takes some ambition on our parts, then we need to do so. (kinda like voting.. Don’t bit*h if you don’t vote mentality).. I guess all I can say for my fellow across the river friends, maybe take a look at what WI is doing for keeping track of our fish/deer populations and see if they would be able to implement something like it. I’m not saying WI is the “perfect” dnr state, cause I too think WI thinks there are more deer than there are, but it’s not the easiest thing to keep track of how many deer there are due to what we already have existing, fawns on their way, the fawns that don’t make it, car/deer kills, hunting, poaching, etc.. I guess the same goes to fishing since there is no real “registering” of fish other than sturgeon..
Just my $.02….
Those are creel surveys. Minnesota does them too, or at least they used to. They should still, because as I understood it, most the people doing it were volunteers?
And FYI to everyone, net surveys are down as well. They are cutting it due to the budget.
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I am surprised Dayton keeps his office open with the threat of all the invasives.
first nomination for 2012 post of the year
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