Summary of Minnesota's Off-Reservation Wild Rice Harvest Regulations

This is a summary of the off-reservation wild rice regulations. For a full copy of your tribe's ordinance, see your tribal office.

PERMITS:

 A tribal Off-Reservation Natural Resource Harvesting Permit is required for off-reservation ricing.  This permit is available free of charge at your tribal conservation department.  You must carry your permit with you when ricing off-reservation.

RICING STICKS:

 You must use smooth, rounded, cedar rods or sticks no longer than 32 inches in length and which are held and operated by hand.. (Note: "binding" the rice is not permitted.)

BOATS:

 Boats can be no longer than 17 feet, or wider than 38 inches. The gunwales of the boat cannot be modified to capture rice outside of the boat. Boats can only be propelled with push poles or paddles.

RICING HOURS:

 9:00 a.m. until sunset on all public waters.

OPEN SEASON:

 No member shall harvest wild rice in any body of water except during the times(s) as such body of water is posted open by the Mille Lacs Wild Rice Authority.  Posting will be done on the shores of and at places of access to the wild rice waters.

Minnesota's Off-Reservation Wild Rice Surveys & Aerial Photos 2008

AITKIN COUNTY
Big Sandy Lake -
Flowage Lake -
Mallard Lake -
Minnewawa Lake -
Newstrom Lake -
Rat House Lake -
Rice (East) Lake Refuge -
Sandy River Lake -

CARLTON COUNTY
Kettle Lake -
Moose Horn River -
Tamarack River @ Tamarack Lake -

CROW WING COUNTY
Dean Lake -
Rice Lake (South of HWY 12, SE of Crosby) -
Rice Lake (North of HWY 12, S of Crosby) -
Rice Lake (South of HWY 18, near Esden) -
Platt Lake -

MILLE LACS COUNTY
Onamia Lake -

MORRISON COUNTY
Sullivan Lake -

 

Please use this information as an initial guide; you are encouraged to make your own visits to the sites in which you are most interested. Also remember that an abundance of plants does not necessarily mean there will be an abundance of seed produced, as weather, disease and other factors can greatly influence seed production and harvest levels. HAPPY RICING!!!

INTERESTED IN SELLING WILD RICE SEED?

GLIFWC will be purchasing freshly harvested wild rice seed for reseeding projects. We will pay $2.00 per pound for seed. If you are interested in selling seed, please contact our Wildlife Section at (715) 682-6619 before harvesting to make sure we are still buying, and for instructions on storing the seed and meeting with our buyer, etc. Your help is needed to expand the rice resource in the ceded territory!!