DNR accepting comments on hunting rules

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DNR accepting comments on hunting rules
(Released February 14, 2011)


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting comments through March 31 on a proposal to make permanent a number of temporary hunting rules that have been in place for at least one hunting season.

The proposals cover a variety of areas pertaining to registration of game, hunter selection, and descriptions of various hunting area boundaries such as goose zones and deer area boundaries.

“Hunters have been pursuing game under many of these rules for the past several seasons,” said Jason Abraham, DNR season setting specialist. “One new rule would establish a deadline for the purchase of bear licenses by hunters who were successful in the bear license lottery.”

A copy of the proposed rules will be published in the Feb. 14 State Register and online. A copy of the proposed rules is also available on the DNR website.

Many of the rule changes were a result of efforts to streamline regulations, reduce paperwork and modify zone boundaries to better match habitat conditions. The rules are summarized below:

Make a minor modification to the Lac qui Parle Controlled Hunting Zone boundary.
Provide for registration of multiple deer in intensive and managed deer areas and allow deer registration by telephone.
Restrict registration of antlerless deer in youth-only antlerless deer areas.
Modify licensing procedures for bear hunting.
Modify elk zone boundaries and establish a separate license drawing for landowners.
Amend registration block boundaries.
Modify otter zone boundaries and fur registration procedures.
Modify turkey permit procedures.
Repeal obsolete goose zone boundaries and establish the boundary of a migratory waterfowl feeding and resting area on Upper Twin Lake in Freeborn County.
Comments may be submitted to: Jason Abraham, Box 20, Minnesota DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55115-4020, or by e-mailing jason.abraham@state.mn.us.