big changes for hunters, anglers

[Lee Borgersen]

Legislature is pondering big changes for hunters, anglers
Last update: March 27, 2011 - 12:00 AM....Star Tribune

 
Major law changes affecting hunters and anglers are brewing in the Legislature, and the full Senate will vote this week on a bill (SF1029) with several key provisions. Among them:

• Portable deer stands could be left unattended on wildlife management areas overnight. Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, said hunters now have to erect their stands in the morning darkness, which can be dangerous and scare deer. The bill says erecting the stand doesn't give a hunter exclusive right to the area, but that's exactly what the Department of Natural Resources and others fear it would do.

"It's a serious pre-emptive issue,'' said the DNR's Mike DonCarlos. Tom Keliher, a lobbyist with the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA), expressed the same concern and said he feared it could lead to hunter confrontations.

• Scopes would be allowed on muzzleloaders. "My constituents would really like to use scopes during the muzzleloader season,'' said Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids. The DNR is neutral on it. "We think it's a social issue,'' said Steve Merchant, DNR wildlife program manager. The MDHA supports it.

• The 16-foot height restriction for permanent deer, elk or moose hunting stands would be eliminated, meaning hunters could use stands as high as they want, as they can now with portable stands. Some are concerned that could lead to more severe injuries for hunters who fall.

• Motorists who hit and kill a deer with their vehicle would get the first right to the carcass. They still would need to acquire a DNR permit to possess the dead deer.

• Active service members or those who have received a Purple Heart or have a 100 percent service-related disability would get first preference in game and fish license lottery drawings. The special preference wouldn't apply for permits to hunt moose, elk or prairie chickens.

Fishing changes?
• The 20-year-old northern spearing ban on Cass Lake would be lifted. Supporters said there's no reason to retain the restriction; opponents, including the DNR, said to do so would likely significantly reduce the numbers of big northerns.

• The number of Minnesota lakes with special fishing regulations intended to boost the size of northerns -- now 125 -- would be reduced to 90 lakes. The move is supported by spearing groups, which say the regulations, most of which impose protected slots, deter spearing. But others, including DNR fish biologists, say the regulations have increased the size of northerns and reduced the number of small fish. They say the local lakeshore associations and other groups have supported the regulations. Another bill would exempt spearers from northern size restrictions.

Other bills
• Open-water anglers could use two fishing lines -- a controversial idea that has been kicked around for years, under a bill (HF16) by Sen. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar. "I think it's a good idea,'' Hackbarth said. "You can only keep so many fish.'' He doesn't believe the change would hurt fisheries. However, the DNR, which doesn't support the bill, said it would have to reevaluate bag limits if it passes.

• Ice fishing houses left on the ice overnight would be required to have working carbon monoxide detectors, under another bill (SF517) authored by Kubly.