MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources today announced that the wild crop is showing improvements in production in 2026 compared to the last few years of low production.
Spring began with heavy rainfall across northern Wisconsin in April, followed by a pattern of drought through the summer. This created relatively stable conditions for wild rice throughout the growing station.
“Wild rice harvesters who are looking to fill their pantries may find some good wild rice beds, but they may encounter low water levels that could make navigation by canoe a challenge,” said Jason Fleener, DNR wetland habitat specialist.
Water depth will be dependent on localized rainfall amounts and how dams are being operated in local areas. While wild rice crop production is generally better this year, experienced harvesters should not expect to see crops that they saw decades ago. Some local lakes may be experiencing declines or continue to struggle to produce wild rice. There is a long-term trend of declining wild rice production in Wisconsin due to factors such as climate change, poor land and water use and water quality issues.
However, harvesters should find plenty of opportunities to harvest good wild rice beds across northern Wisconsin this year if they are willing to travel and scout.
The Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission maintains the Annual Harvest Outlook webpage, which includes helpful information for harvesters and wild rice production conditions for some wild rice waters in Wisconsin. This page also includes a table of date-regulated wild rice harvesting waters, which may be opened to harvest on designated dates or deemed closed to harvest throughout the season. These rules apply to both tribal and nontribal harvesters. State and tribal officials discuss crop conditions for each waterbody before decisions are made to open or close waters for harvest each year.
Openings and closures will be updated daily on the webpage throughout the harvest season. Harvesters may also sign up for email updates from the DNR to receive the latest information on harvest openings and closures throughout the season.
All other waters that are not included in the table in the Annual Harvest Outlook are not date-regulated, meaning they may be harvested whenever the harvester chooses. However, the DNR encourages harvesters to be good wild rice stewards by waiting until the crop is mature and ready to drop seed.
Wild rice is ready for harvest when it drops from gentle strokes across the seed head while “flailing” or “knocking” using ricing sticks. If little to no rice is falling, harvesters are encouraged to try again at least a few days later or try another wild rice bed. Harvest efforts on immature beds inhibit the maturation of the rice kernels, negatively impacting the harvest experience for others and inhibiting the long-term sustainability of wild rice production. The maturity or ripeness of wild rice beds may vary over the course of a month between different waterbodies across the state over the months of August and September. Peak maturity for most wild rice beds occurs in early September.
State and tribal officials and other partners are investing significant resources and focus into restoring and improving wild rice production on waters throughout the state. This involves an improved understanding of how wild rice responds to various environmental conditions through research, sharing traditional knowledge and a holistic approach managing healthy aquatic ecosystems. That knowledge is put into practice with management on public waters, which includes wild rice seeding, water level manipulation, invasive species control and watershed-based policies. Outreach and education to the public about the value and good stewardship of wild rice in Wisconsin are also increasing.
“I am seeing more groups step up now than ever with interests to collaboratively manage and protect wild rice,” Fleener said. “This gives me hope for wild rice.”
In 2026, Wisconsin is celebrating the first-ever Wild Rice Week, Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, to raise awareness around wild rice. Found only in the upper Midwest and parts of Canada, wild rice was once abundant in northern Wisconsin and continues to hold a timeless, unchanging place in the culture, identity and spirituality for many Tribal Nations in Wisconsin.
For more information on harvesting wild rice, licensing and regulations, visit the DNR’s Wild Rice Harvesting webpage.
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