Wild rice harvesting season occurs annually between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30 and wildlife managers from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources say it’s shaping up to be a challenging harvest season.
More than 1,200 lakes and rivers in 54 counties contain wild rice, with concentrations of rice being the highest in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca and St. Louis counties. But harvestable stands of rice can be found from the Canadian border down to the metro area.
“This year, wild rice conditions are variable across much of the state,” said Ann Geisen, DNR wildlife lake specialist. “In some parts of the state, rice stands are poor due to lots of rain and flooding. But in other parts of the state, the rice is looking really good. Harvesters who spend some time scouting waters for harvesting will probably have the best success.”
Peak harvesting dates are estimated to be in late August to early September as long as weather remains mild and dry. Like other forms of gathering, finding a mentor who is willing to share skills and knowledge can greatly improve success. Scouting lakes ahead of time can also be very helpful for finding harvestable stands of rice and locating access sites.
Minnesota’s green rice law makes it illegal to harvest unripe or “green” rice. So even though rice beds may look like they are maturing well, ricers must make sure the grain is ripe before attempting to harvest it. With many rice beds impacted by storms, harvesters will need to take extra care this year to make sure they are not harvesting too early and damaging the limited rice stands that remain.
In addition to being a traditional food source for Minnesota’s early inhabitants and an important part of American Indian culture, wild rice is an important food staple for migrating waterfowl each fall. The growing plants also provide important habitat for fish, invertebrates and waterfowl broods.
A license is required to harvest wild rice, unless a harvester is a Minnesota resident age 17 or younger and is accompanied by a licensed harvester. Wild rice harvesting regulations are available at mndnr.gov/wildrice with management and harvesting information at mndnr.gov/wildlife/ shallowlakes/wildrice.html
The 1854 Treaty Authority website at 1854treatyauthority.org provides updates from ground and aerial surveys on some lakes within the 1854 ceded territory in northeastern Minnesota. The aerial surveys are tentatively scheduled for mid- to late August; the results will be posted soon after.
Those interested in harvesting wild rice are reminded that it is unlawful to take wild rice grain from any of the waters within the original boundaries of the White Earth, Leech Lake, Nett Lake, Vermilion Lake, Grand Portage, Fond du Lac and Mille Lacs reservations except for American Indians or residents of the reservations listed. The Tribal websites have more information about which rice lakes are within the reservation boundaries.
In addition, all nontribal members wishing to harvest or buy wild rice within the boundaries of the Leech Lake Reservation must have Leech Lake Reservation permits.
Aquatic invasive species are a serious threat to Minnesota waters. Like any other water users, rice harvesters must follow cleaning protocols to avoid spreading invasive plants and animals, available at mndnr.gov/ invasives/aquatic.
Harvesting licenses can be purchased online via desktop browser and smartphone at mndnr.gov/buyalicense or any DNR license agent. Funds from the sale of wild rice licenses support DNR management of wild rice, including managing water levels on wild rice lakes, improving or maintaining outlets and assessing habitat.
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