Legislature tightens rules on deer stands
May 31st, 2005 by Administrator
Legislature tightens rules on deer stands and duck decoys
ST. PAUL
Lawmakers reached a compromise bill that would severely restrict the use of motorized duck decoys, but not ban them altogether, and clarify that permanent hunting stands on state lands are public regardless of who built them.
The Legislature approved a bill last week that included dozens of changes to the state’s fishing and hunting laws after reaching the agreements on the deer stands and the controversial decoys.
Lawmakers who wanted to completely ban the decoys settled for a total ban only within Public Wildlife Management Areas. Statewide, they are banned during the first eight days of the season - or until the Saturday nearest Oct. 8.
The new restrictions don’t affect hand- or wind-powered decoys.
“The concern I hear is that it’s on the edge of fair chase,” said Rep. Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska, who sponsored the House measure to ban them. “We might come back next year and try to ban them then.”
Minnesota regulators have called for a ban on the motorized decoys, which work better than decoys, in the 14-state Mississippi Flyway. Many other states don’t support the ban.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also been reluctant to restrict the use of motorized decoys.
Another hot-button outdoors issue at the Capitol has been large deer stands on state forest lands. Some House members wanted to prohibit stands with permanent walls and roofs because, in part, there are concerns that hunters use them to pre-empt public hunting areas.
Lawmakers settled on language in the bill that says permanent stands are public property, regardless of who built them.
“It clarifies what we’ve been telling people for a number of years, that if you put up a stand on public land, it’s available on a first-come, first-serve basis,” said Ed Boggess, DNR fish and wildlife policy manager. “But I think there are some issues that will continue to be debated.”
from: St. Paul Pioneer Press