The wild rice harvest this year in the Northwoods will have different results depending on where you harvest. That assessment from DNR wetland habitat specialist Jason Fleener...
".....folks can expect a poorer year than average. However, that shouldn't discourage ricers from going this year, there's plenty of spots to go. They just need to do their homework in advance...."
Fleener says part of that homework is talking to some local ricers in the area you would like to harvest or go to the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission website atglifwc.orgwhere there's detailed information on conditions....
".....back in July there were heavy storms that created some flooding conditions and some very turbid waters and that may have inhibited some of the rice growth. Also some conditions related to a mild winter. Anecdotally, they say if there's a mild winter, the crop doesn't do as good..."
Wild Rice waters have date-regulated and non-date-regulated options. Date-regulated lakes are located within the Chippewa Ceded Territory in off-reservation areas. Opening harvest dates for date-regulated waters are determined jointly by DNR and tribal officials. Once a particular date-regulated lake is opened, the wild rice harvesting season lasts 60 days. All date-regulated waters are posted at access points at least 24 hours in advance of opening day. Many date-regulated waters will be closed for the 2016 season due to poor rice conditions.
Additional information is available on the DNR website.
