1568 Highway 2
Two Harbors, MN 55616
218-834-1453
[email protected]
Hunters, trappers and wildlife watchers in Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties benefit from the management, habitat and oversight work of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Two Harbors area wildlife staff.
Area Supervisor Nancy Hansen, one full-time staff member and one seasonal laborer 
oversee an area that includes more than 1.9 million acres of public and private land. This includes six state Wildlife Management Areas, which total 4,144 acres.
- What we do
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At work for you
A cow moose browses in and along a Two Harbors area stream.
- Providing wildlife management and habitat guidance to the managers of county, state and federal administered lands in Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties. Participation of staff in the Manitou, Sand Lake Seven Beavers, and North Shore Forest collaboratives is one example of this inter-agency coordination effort. This assures that wildlife resources and habitat will be considered in the management of these lands. Some of our conservation partners are able to secure matching grants for landscape based projects across multiple ownerships that benefit wildlife. Between 2013 and 2016, improving forest diversity and wildlife habitat on 40 sites for a total of 850 acres through winter shearing, spring planting of trees and shrubs, fall protection of planted trees, and fall release of trees from competition.
- Maintaining 42 miles of hunter walking trails on state, county and federal administered lands to provide improved non-motorized hunting opportunity and access as well as look for opportunities to develop new hunter walking trails.
- Managing 8 Wildlife Management Areas that encompass 5,200 acres within Lake and Cook counties.
- Managing hunting seasons for 6 deer and 2 bear permit areas, and providing management guidance for 5 State Park special deer hunts. Annually providing fur registration at 3 locations and maintain 6 registration stations for bear. This provides basic harvest information and aids in the management of bears and furbearers such as pine marten, fisher, otter and bobcat.
- Annually conducting 2 waterfowl counts, 5 ruffed grouse, 3 small mammal, 4 winter track, and 5 predator scent post surveys throughout work area. Participate in annual aerial moose survey. These surveys provide basic population information which helps in the management of these species.
- Collecting and transporting carcasses or tissue samples from sick or road-killed moose for health assessment. Assist in the recovery of collared animals for the Moose Mortality Project.
- Responding to and providing technical advice on nuisance wildlife inquiries involving problem bear, deer, geese, moose, wolf, coyote and other species.