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. |
What is Brown Spot Disease? |
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Brown spot is probably the most common fungal disease in wild rice. Brown spot produces lesions on the leafs. When severe, brown-spot disease can markedly reduce seed production in rice, resulting in a high incidence of empty hulls or "ghost rice". (Other diseases or pollination problems can cause this as well.) The only good news: brown spot does not have any negative impacts on the seed that is produced - it is perfectly fine to eat. |
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Minnesota's Off-Reservation Wild Rice Surveys & Aerial Photos
AITKIN COUNTY
Big Sandy Lake - Good
Flowage Lake - Good to Very Good
Mallard Lake - Good, but possible brown spot disease
Minnewawa Lake - Good, but possible brown spot disease
Rat House Lake - No information available
Rice (East) Lake Refuge -
Sandy River Lake - Good to Very Good
CARLTON COUNTY
Kettle Lake - Poor
Moose Horn River - Fair
Tamarack River @ Tamarack Lake - Good
CROW WING COUNTY
Lower Dean Lake - Abundant plants, but heavily infested with brown spot disease
Rice Lake (South of HWY 12, SE of Crosby) - Fair
Rice Lake (North of HWY 12, S of Crosby) - Poor
Rice Lake (South of HWY 18, near Esden) - Good, but possible brown spot disease
Platt Lake - Poor
MILLE LACS COUNTY
Onamia Lake - Abundant plants, but significant patches of brown spot disease
Shokopee Lake - Good
MORRISON COUNTY
Sullivan Lake - Poor
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!!!
