White Earth RBC has prohibited teal hunting on all active wild rice beds to ensure the safety of our manoomin harvesters

In response to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) “Early teal season” that is scheduled for September 4-8, the White Earth RBC has prohibited teal hunting on all active wild rice beds to ensure the safety of our manoomin harvesters within the Reservation boundaries during this season.

The White Earth RBC maintains exclusive jurisdiction and authority over the management and protection of Manoomin and the waters in which they reside. We view this jurisdiction as a sacred responsibility for current and future generations. The decision to allow duck hunters in the same waters leaves our Anishinaabe families unprotected and vulnerable while they exercise their inherent right to harvest Manoomin. The RBC finds this course of action to be unacceptable and manifestly dangerous. Therefore, the RBC will exercise its exclusive jurisdiction by closing all active wild rice beds on or near the Reservation to the State’s early teal season.