Chapter 97A — Game and Fish

15.001 Application of Laws 2005, Chapter 56, Terminology Changes State agencies must use updated terminology from 2005 when replacing printed materials and signs. 97A.001 This entry contains no operative statutory text. It appears only as bare section references with no title, definition, … 97A.011 Citation Chapters 97A, 97B, and 97C are officially called the 'game and fish laws.' 97A.015 Definitions Defines key terms used in the game and fish laws, including types of game, fish, licenses, and hunting methods. 97A.021 Construction Explains how to read the game and fish laws, including that rules about whole animals also apply to animal parts. 97A.025 Ownership of Wild Animals The state of Minnesota owns all wild animals. People can only take wildlife if allowed by law. 97A.028 Crop Protection Assistance The DNR must help farmers protect crops from damage by wild animals, including providing deterrent materials. 97A.031 Wanton Waste It is illegal to waste usable parts of a protected wild animal you have taken. Common carp are exempt. 97A.035 Removing Signs Prohibited It is illegal to remove or damage any DNR sign without the commissioner's permission. 97A.037 Hunter, Trapper, and Angler Harassment Prohibited It is illegal to harass or interfere with people who are lawfully hunting, trapping, or fishing. 97A.041 Exhibition of Wildlife A person running a business needs a DNR permit to keep wild animals on display for the public. 97A.043 Fish Consumption Advisories Fish consumption advisories must be posted in at least four languages, including English. 97A.045 Commissioner; General Powers and Duties The DNR commissioner manages wildlife, sets seasons, issues permits, and can make rules to protect wild animals. 97A.0451 Authority for Using Emergency Rules Procedure; Expiration of Authority Sets rules for when the DNR commissioner can adopt emergency game and fish rules quickly. 97A.0452 Notice of Proposed Adoption of Emergency Rule Emergency game and fish rules must be published in the State Register with a 25-day public comment period. 97A.0453 Notice to Committees for Fees Fixed by Rule The commissioner must notify legislative finance committees before proposing emergency rules that set or change fees. 97A.0454 Modifying Proposed Emergency Rule A proposed emergency game and fish rule may be modified, but only if the modifications are supported by the data and … 97A.0455 Submitting Proposed Emergency Rule to Attorney General The commissioner must submit proposed emergency rules to the attorney general for legal review. 97A.0456 Effective Date of Emergency Rule Emergency game and fish rules take effect 5 working days after the attorney general approves them. 97A.0457 Publishing Approval As soon as practicable, notice of the attorney general's decision on an emergency rule must be published in the State … 97A.0458 Effective Period of Emergency Rule Emergency game and fish rules can last up to 180 days and be renewed once, for a maximum of 360 days total. 97A.0459 Approving Form of Emergency Rule Emergency rules cannot be filed unless the revisor of statutes approves their format. 97A.051 Publishing Law Summary; Penalties for Rule Violations The commissioner must prepare a summary of the state hunting and fishing laws and rules and supply enough copies to … 97A.052 Peace Officer Training Account Creates a training account in the game and fish fund for peace officers who enforce wildlife laws. 97A.055 Game and Fish Fund Establishes the game and fish fund, which holds money from licenses, fines, and other DNR revenue. 97A.056 Outdoor Heritage Fund; Lessard-sams Outdoor Heritage Council Creates the Outdoor Heritage Fund and 12-member council to spend money on restoring wetlands, prairies, forests, and … 97A.057 Federal Law Compliance; Restriction on License Revenue Requires the commissioner to take any action needed to comply with the federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and the … 97A.061 This section contains no operative statutory text. The page shows only the section number and a laws citation (2013 c … 97A.065 Dedication of Certain Receipts Dedicates certain receipts related to game and fish to specific purposes. Fines and forfeited bail collected from … 97A.071 Wildlife Acquisition Account Establishes the wildlife acquisition account as an account in the game and fish fund. Revenue from the small-game … 97A.075 Use of License Revenues Divides hunting and fishing license fees into specific accounts for deer, pheasant, trout, and other purposes. 97A.081 This section has no operative statutory text. It appears to have been repealed or renumbered (the page shows only the … 97A.083 This section has no operative statutory text. It appears to have been repealed or renumbered (the page shows only the … 97A.085 Game Refuges This section governs state game refuges, where protected wild animals are sheltered. All state parks are designated as … 97A.091 Hunting on Game Refuges This section restricts hunting within state game refuges. As a general rule, a person may not take any wild animal … 97A.092 Controlled Hunting Zones This section lets the Department of Natural Resources commissioner create controlled hunting zones by rule in areas on … 97A.093 Hunting, Trapping, and Fishing in Scientific and Natural Areas This section makes scientific and natural areas closed to hunting, trapping, and fishing unless one of two exceptions … 97A.095 Waterfowl Protected Areas This section lets the Department of Natural Resources commissioner designate waterfowl protected areas by rule. The … 97A.098 Trespass on Federal Lands This section prohibits a person from entering or using a national wildlife refuge or a federal waterfowl production area … 97A.101 Public Water Reserves and Management Designation This section lets the Department of Natural Resources commissioner designate and reserve public waters of the state to … 97A.105 Game Farms This section governs game farms, where a licensed person may breed and propagate game birds, bear, or mute swans on … 97A.106 Fur Farms This section governs fur farms, where a licensed person may breed and propagate fur-bearing animals on privately owned … 97A.111 This section contains no operative statutory text. It appears as a repealed or renumbered stub, showing only the section … 97A.115 Shooting Preserves This section requires a license to operate a shooting preserve, which the commissioner may issue for commercial or … 97A.121 Hunting in Private Shooting Preserves This section sets the rules for hunting in shooting preserves. A hunter on a private preserve must hold the licenses … 97A.125 Wildlife Habitat on Private Land This section lets the state wildlife commissioner make agreements with private landowners to develop or improve wildlife … 97A.126 Walk-in Access Program This section creates the Walk-in Access Program, which opens enrolled private land to the public for hunting, … 97A.127 Financing Waterfowl Development This section lets the state wildlife commissioner spend money appropriated for fish and wildlife programs to develop, … 97A.131 Hatcheries This section lets the state wildlife commissioner obtain property for hatcheries by gift, lease, purchase, or … 97A.133 State Wildlife Management Areas This section establishes and names Minnesota's state wildlife management areas, listing each one by name and county. It … 97A.134 Adopt-a-wma Program This section establishes Minnesota's adopt-a-WMA (wildlife management area) program, coordinated by the commissioner … 97A.135 Acquiring Wildlife Lands This section governs how the state acquires and disposes of wildlife lands. The commissioner (or commissioner of … 97A.137 Hunting, Fishing, and Trespassing in Wildlife Management Areas This section governs hunting, fishing, and entry in wildlife management areas. These areas are open to hunting and … 97A.141 Public-water Access Sites This section directs the commissioner to acquire public-water access sites next to public waters, along with the … 97A.145 Wetlands for Wildlife This section authorizes the commissioner (or commissioner of administration) to acquire wetlands and bordering areas, … 97A.151 Leech Lake Indian Reservation Agreement This section ratifies and gives effect to a federal court settlement agreement recognizing the Leech Lake Band of … 97A.155 Amendments to Leech Lake Indian Reservation Agreement This section lets the DNR commissioner amend the Leech Lake settlement agreement (from section 97A.151) in two ways … 97A.157 1854 Treaty Area Agreement This section ratifies and affirms a Memorandum of Agreement settling a federal lawsuit between Minnesota and the Grand … 97A.161 Agreement With White Earth Indians This section lets the DNR commissioner enter into an agreement with the White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians on … 97A.165 Source of Payments for Indian Agreement This section identifies where the money comes from to fund the state's Chippewa treaty agreements. It annually … 97A.201 Enforcement This section assigns responsibility for enforcing Minnesota's wild animal laws. The commissioner of natural resources … 97A.205 Enforcement Officer; Powers This section sets out the powers of a conservation enforcement officer. An officer may serve court warrants and … 97A.211 Arrest Procedures This section governs arrest procedures for misdemeanor violations of the game and fish laws and related conservation … 97A.215 Inspections This section sets out an enforcement officer's inspection powers under the game and fish laws. With probable cause to … 97A.221 Seizure and Confiscation of Property This section authorizes enforcement officers to seize and confiscate property connected to game and fish law violations. … 97A.223 Seizure and Administrative Forfeiture of Certain Firearms and Abandoned Property This section requires an enforcement officer to seize firearms possessed in violation of state or federal law or a court … 97A.225 Seizure and Confiscation of Motor Vehicles and Boats This section requires enforcement officers to seize motor vehicles used to illegally shine, transport, or take wild … 97A.231 Search Warrants This section lets a judge who can issue criminal warrants grant a search warrant when a complaint shows probable cause … 97A.235 Jurisdiction Over Boundary Waters This section gives courts and enforcement officers in counties next to boundary waters jurisdiction over the entire … 97A.241 Reciprocity With Other States in Appointing Officers This section lets the commissioner, with the approval of another state or the United States, appoint that jurisdiction's … 97A.245 Rewards The commissioner may pay rewards for information that leads to convicting someone who violated laws protecting wild … 97A.251 Obstructing Officers A person may not intentionally hinder, resist, or obstruct an enforcement officer, agent, or employee of the division … 97A.255 Prosecutions A prosecution under the game and fish laws must be brought within three years after the offense, and the defendant bears … 97A.301 General Penalty Provisions Unless a different penalty applies, a person commits a misdemeanor by violating the game and fish laws, aiding a … 97A.305 Impersonating Enforcement Officer A person who pretends to act in an official capacity by falsely impersonating an enforcement officer or other officer … 97A.311 Licenses This section sets out license-related offenses and administrative rules under the game and fish laws. It is a … 97A.315 Trespass This section sets the penalties for trespass in connection with hunting, fishing, and recreational vehicle activities. A … 97A.321 Dogs Pursuing, Wounding, or Killing Big Game This section makes a dog owner liable for civil penalties when the dog chases or harms big game animals. The owner of a … 97A.325 Penalties for Unlawfully Buying or Selling Wild Animals This section sets the penalties for unlawfully buying or selling wild animals under the game and fish laws. Buying or … 97A.331 Penalties Related to Hunting This section lists hunting-related offenses that are each classified as gross misdemeanors under the game and fish laws. … 97A.335 Penalties Related to Fishing This section sets criminal penalties for certain fishing violations. Taking fish with illegal devices, chemicals, or … 97A.338 Gross Overlimits of Wild Animals; Penalty This section defines a gross overlimit violation and its penalty. A person who takes, possesses, or transports wild … 97A.341 Restitution for Wild Animals Illegally Taken This section makes a person who kills, injures, or possesses a wild animal in violation of the game and fish laws (or … 97A.345 Restitution Value of Wild Animals This section authorizes the DNR commissioner to set, by rule, the dollar restitution value of wild animal species, which … 97A.401 Special Permits This section lets the DNR commissioner issue special permits, sometimes free and sometimes for a fee, for activities … 97A.405 License Requirements This section sets the license requirements for taking, buying, selling, transporting, or possessing protected wild … 97A.408 Anatomical Gift Option; Education This section requires the Department of Natural Resources' online license sales system to let people applying for a … 97A.411 Validity of Licenses This section sets when hunting and fishing licenses are valid. The standard license year begins on the first day of … 97A.415 License Restrictions This section places restrictions on hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses. Only one trapping and one big-game license … 97A.418 Permit Rules This section governs how the commissioner of natural resources handles permits when the game and fish laws specifically … 97A.420 Seizure or Invalidation of Licenses This section requires an enforcement officer to immediately seize or invalidate the license of someone who unlawfully … 97A.421 Validity and Issuance of Licenses After Conviction This section voids hunting and fishing licenses and bars getting new ones for set periods after a person is convicted of … 97A.425 Record and Reporting Requirements for Dealers, Tanners, and Taxidermists This section requires people licensed to buy or sell wild animals, tan hides or dress raw furs, or mount specimens to … 97A.431 Moose Licenses This section governs how Minnesota issues moose hunting licenses. The commissioner sets the number of licenses and the … 97A.433 Elk Licenses This section governs how Minnesota issues elk hunting licenses. The commissioner sets the number of licenses and the … 97A.434 Prairie-chicken Licenses This section governs prairie-chicken hunting licenses. If the commissioner opens a prairie-chicken season, the … 97A.435 Turkey Licenses; Application and Eligibility This section sets the application and eligibility rules for wild turkey hunting licenses. The commissioner decides how … 97A.438 Releasing Wild Turkeys; Permit Required This section makes it illegal to release a wild turkey or a wild-turkey hybrid into the wild without first getting a … 97A.441 Licenses Issued Without Fee This section lists the people who may get certain hunting and fishing licenses for free. No-fee fishing (angling or … 97A.445 Exemptions From License Requirement This section lists situations where people may fish or hunt without the normally required license. A resident 16 or … 97A.451 License Requirements and Exemptions Relating to Age This section sets out fishing and hunting license requirements and exemptions based on age. Residents under 16 (and … 97A.455 Nonresident Students; Fishing, Small Game, and Big Game This section lets certain nonresident students buy resident fishing and hunting licenses. A nonresident who is a … 97A.461 Nonresident Licenses for Boundary Water Hunting or Fishing This section governs licenses for nonresidents to take fish or small game in or on boundary waters Minnesota shares with … 97A.465 Military Personnel; Fishing and Hunting This section gives military personnel and veterans special fishing and hunting privileges in Minnesota. Resident service … 97A.471 Nonresident Courtesy Licenses This section lets the commissioner issue free courtesy hunting and fishing licenses to certain nonresidents. The … 97A.472 Place of Sale of Nonresident Licenses; Restriction This section restricts where nonresident fishing licenses may be sold. The commissioner of natural resources is … 97A.473 Resident Lifetime Licenses This section authorizes resident lifetime hunting and fishing licenses, including lifetime angling, spearing, angling … 97A.474 Nonresident Lifetime Licenses This section authorizes the commissioner to issue nonresident lifetime licenses, specifically a lifetime angling license … 97A.4742 Lifetime Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund This section establishes the lifetime fish and wildlife trust fund in the state treasury. All money received from … 97A.475 License Fees Lists all hunting and fishing license fees for both residents and nonresidents. 97A.481 License Applications; Penalty This section requires that all information requested on a license application form be provided. An applicant who fails … 97A.482 License Applications; Collecting Social Security Numbers Anyone applying for an individual noncommercial game and fish license under chapters 97A, 97B, or 97C must put their … 97A.485 Issuance of Licenses This section governs how hunting and fishing licenses are issued and sold. The commissioner issues and sells licenses … 97A.501 Wild Animals; General Restrictions This section sets the general rules for handling wild animals in Minnesota. No one may take, buy, sell, transport, or … 97A.502 Deer Killed by Motor Vehicles This section addresses deer killed by motor vehicles on public roads. The road authority (as defined in section 160.02, … 97A.505 Possessing Wild Animals This section governs possessing wild animals in Minnesota and is in effect, despite an outdated summary that said it was … 97A.510 Game for Consumption at Fundraising Events This section lets nonprofit organizations charge admission to fundraising events where lawfully taken and possessed … 97A.511 Fur-bearing Animals This section allows the skins of fur-bearing animals, and the flesh of beaver, muskrat, raccoon, rabbits, and hares, to … 97A.512 Sale of Inedible Portions of Big Game Animals, Fur-bearing Animals, Fish, and Game Birds Other Than Migratory Waterfowl This section lets a person possess, transport, buy, or sell certain inedible portions of lawfully taken or acquired big … 97A.515 Pelts, Skins, and Hides Taken on Indian Reservations This section allows the pelts, skins, and hides of protected wild animals that are taken on an Indian reservation in … 97A.521 Transporting Wild Animals; Generally This section governs how wild animals may be transported in Minnesota. Residents and nonresidents may transport wild … 97A.525 Transporting Wild Animals by Common Carrier This section sets the rules for shipping wild animals through a common carrier when the owner is not in the vehicle. The … 97A.531 Shipping Wild Animals Taken in Canada This section allows a person to ship, within or out of Minnesota, wild animals that were lawfully taken and possessed in … 97A.535 Possessing and Transporting Deer, Bear, Elk, and Moose This section sets the rules for possessing and transporting deer, bear, elk, and moose taken in Minnesota. A hunter must … 97A.541 This section has no operative statutory text. The page contains only the section number and a session law reference … 97A.545 Transporting Game Birds This section sets the rules for transporting and shipping game birds in Minnesota. A resident shipping game birds to … 97A.551 Possessing and Transporting Fish This section governs possessing, transporting, and shipping fish in Minnesota. Fish taken in another state or country … 97A.552 This section has no operative statutory text in the current code. The entry contains only the section number and a … 97A.56 Feral Swine This section regulates feral swine in Minnesota, defining them as members of the Suidae or Tayassuidae family that live …