the bill that explains the fees for ATV's and allowing scopes on muzzle loaders

[JohnWester]

Don't own an ATV, so no opinion on that, but $30 seems reasonable.  I am not sure if I agree with the scope on muzzleloaders.  I have only been muzzleloader hunting for 1 year now, and I kind of like not having it, and I think it provides a more primitive hunting experience.  And yes, I know there is nothing primitive about the new muzzleloader guns.  They are basically single shot rifles.

S.F. No. 919,  as introduced - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)   Posted on Feb 14, 2007
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to natural resources; requiring a state trail sticker for all-terrain vehicles;
1.3changing the license year for fishing, fish house, and dark house licenses;
1.4modifying the nonresident archery deer license fee; allowing the use of scopes
1.5on muzzleloaders; establishing a moratorium on licensing new public waters
1.6for aquaculture; providing civil penalties;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006,
1.7sections 97A.411, subdivision 1; 97A.475, subdivision 3; 97B.031, subdivision
1.85; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 84.
1.9BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.10    Section 1. [84.9235] ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE STATE TRAIL STICKER.
1.11    Subdivision 1. Sticker required; fee. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a
1.12person may not operate an all-terrain vehicle on a state or grant-in-aid all-terrain vehicle
1.13trail unless the all-terrain vehicle is registered for public use and an all-terrain vehicle state
1.14trail sticker is affixed to the all-terrain vehicle. The commissioner of natural resources
1.15shall issue an annual sticker upon application and payment of a $15 fee. The fee for a
1.16three-year all-terrain vehicle state trail sticker that is purchased at the time of all-terrain
1.17vehicle registration is $30. In addition to other penalties prescribed by law, a person in
1.18violation of this subdivision must purchase an annual state trail sticker for a fee of $30.
1.19Fees collected under this section, except for the issuing fee for licensing agents, shall be
1.20deposited in the state treasury and credited to the all-terrain vehicle account in the natural
1.21resources fund and, except for the electronic licensing system commission established
1.22by the commissioner under section 84.027, subdivision 15, must be used for grant-in-aid
1.23trail maintenance and easement acquisition.
1.24(b) A state trail sticker is not required under this section for:
1.25(1) an all-terrain vehicle owned by the state or a political subdivision of the state that
1.26is registered under section 84.922, subdivision 7;
2.1(2) an all-terrain vehicle that is owned and used by the United States, another state,
2.2or a political subdivision thereof that is exempt from registration under section 84.922,
2.3subdivision 1a; or
2.4(3) a person operating an all-terrain vehicle only on the portion of a trail that is
2.5owned by the person or the person's spouse, child, or parent.
2.6    Subd. 2. Placement of sticker. The state trail sticker shall be permanently affixed
2.7to either:
2.8(1) the forward half of the all-terrain vehicle directly above or below the headlight
2.9of the all-terrain vehicle;
2.10(2) above the expiration year on the top portion of the all-terrain vehicle registration
2.11validation decal; or
2.12(3) the lower right corner of a registration plate issued to a dealer or manufacturer
2.13under section 84.922, subdivision 5.
2.14    Subd. 3. License agents. The commissioner may appoint agents to issue and sell
2.15state trail stickers. The commissioner may revoke the appointment of an agent at any time.
2.16The commissioner may adopt additional rules as provided in section 97A.485, subdivision
2.1711. An agent shall observe all rules adopted by the commissioner for accounting and
2.18handling of stickers pursuant to section 97A.485, subdivision 11. An agent shall promptly
2.19deposit and remit all money received from the sale of the stickers, exclusive of the issuing
2.20fee, to the commissioner.
2.21    Subd. 4. Issuance of stickers. The commissioner and agents shall issue and sell
2.22all-terrain vehicle state trail stickers.
2.23    Subd. 5. Agent's fee. In addition to the fee for a sticker, an issuing fee of $1 per
2.24sticker shall be charged. The issuing fee may be retained by the seller of the sticker.
2.25Issuing fees for stickers issued by the commissioner shall be deposited in the all-terrain
2.26vehicle account in the natural resources fund and retained for the operation of the
2.27electronic licensing system.
2.28    Subd. 6. Duplicate state trail stickers. The commissioner and agents shall issue a
2.29duplicate sticker to persons whose sticker is lost or destroyed using the process established
2.30under section 97A.405, subdivision 3, and rules adopted under that section. The fee for a
2.31duplicate all-terrain vehicle state trail sticker is $2, with an issuing fee of 50 cents.

2.32    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 97A.411, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.33    Subdivision 1. License period. (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and
2.34(d), a license is valid during the lawful time within the license year that the licensed
3.1activity may be performed. Except as provided in paragraph (c), a license year begins on
3.2the first day of March and ends on the last day of February.
3.3(b) A license issued under section 97A.475, subdivision 6, clause (5), 97A.475,
3.4subdivision 7 , clause (2), (3), (5), or (6), or 97A.475, subdivision 12, clause (2), is valid
3.5for the full license period even if this period extends into the next license year, provided
3.6that the license period selected by the licensee begins at the time of issuance.
3.7(c) When the last day of February falls on a Saturday, an annual resident or
3.8nonresident fish house or dark house license, including a rental fish house or dark house
3.9license, obtained for the license year covering the last day of February, is valid through
3.10Sunday, March 1 and the angling license of the fish house licensee is extended through
3.11March 1. The license year for resident fishing, nonresident fishing, resident fish house,
3.12resident dark house, and nonresident fish house is May 1 to April 30.
3.13(d) A lifetime license issued under section 97A.473 or 97A.474 is valid during the
3.14lawful time within the license year that the licensed activity may be performed for the
3.15lifetime of the licensee.

3.16    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 97A.475, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.17    Subd. 3. Nonresident hunting. Fees for the following licenses, to be issued
3.18to nonresidents, are:
3.19(1) to take small game, $73;
3.20(2) to take deer with firearms, $135;
3.21(3) to take deer by archery, the greater of:
3.22(i) an amount equal to the total amount of license fees and surcharges charged to a
3.23Minnesota resident to take deer by archery in the person's state or province of residence; or
3.24(ii) $135;
3.25(4) to take bear, $195;
3.26(5) to take turkey, $73;
3.27(6) to take raccoon, bobcat, fox, or coyote, $155;
3.28(7) multizone license to take antlered deer in more than one zone, $270; and
3.29(8) to take Canada geese during a special season, $4.

3.30    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 97B.031, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
3.31    Subd. 5. Scopes; visually impaired hunters on muzzleloaders. (a)
3.32Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the commissioner may issue a special
3.33permit, without a fee, to A person may use a muzzleloader with a scope to take deer
4.1during the muzzleloader season to a person who obtains the required licenses and who has
4.2a visual impairment. The scope may not have magnification capabilities.
4.3(b) The visual impairment must be to the extent that the applicant is unable
4.4to identify targets and the rifle sights at the same time without a scope. The visual
4.5impairment and specific conditions must be established by medical evidence verified in
4.6writing by a licensed physician, ophthalmologist, or optometrist. The commissioner
4.7may request additional information from the physician if needed to verify the applicant's
4.8eligibility for the permit.
4.9(c) A permit issued under this subdivision may be valid for up to five years, based
4.10on the permanence of the visual impairment as determined by the licensed physician,
4.11ophthalmologist, or optometrist.
4.12(d) The permit must be in the immediate possession of the permittee when hunting
4.13under the special permit.
4.14(e) The commissioner may deny, modify, suspend, or revoke a permit issued under
4.15this subdivision for cause, including a violation of the game and fish laws or rules.
4.16(f) A person who knowingly makes a false application or assists another in making
4.17a false application for a permit under this subdivision is guilty of a misdemeanor. A
4.18physician, ophthalmologist, or optometrist who fraudulently certifies to the commissioner
4.19that a person is visually impaired as described in this subdivision is guilty of a
4.20misdemeanor.

4.21    Sec. 5. MORATORIUM ON LICENSING OR USE OF NEW PUBLIC WATERS
4.22FOR AQUACULTURE.
4.23(a) The commissioner of natural resources may not license or use public waters, as
4.24defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.005, subdivision 15, for aquaculture or the
4.25raising of fish that were not licensed by the commissioner of natural resources or used for
4.26that purpose by the commissioner of natural resources during the five-year period prior to
4.27April 1, 2007, except as provided in paragraph (b).
4.28(b) The commissioner of natural resources may annually authorize fish rearing in
4.29new public waters prior to December 31, 2008, if the fish rearing is conducted as part of a
4.30wetland improvement plan approved by the commissioner.
4.31(c) This section expires December 31, 2008.

[tripnchip]

I think that the clearance scope is fine. I am one of those that do bp hunt because of my ability to see open sights properly. As you said, the new inlines are no longer a traditional weapon anyway, heck most guys can shoot their inlines further then I will push my hand gun that I use for rifle hunting.  hmm maybe the bp season should be changed to handgun and the bp mixed in with the rifle season.lol

[JohnWester]

hmm maybe the bp season should be changed to handgun and the bp mixed in with the rifle season.lol

right... LOL

[laker]

Yep; I have to agree. I've BP hunted for 20 years or so and its time to lump them with the other gun hunters. Every year I meet more BP hunters who've been at it for just a year or two, but can shoot deer out to 250 yards. I just wonder how that can be, when my open sights cover the deer up at 100 yds. Guess they're just super shots.  And yeah, those are the BP hunters all for scopes.