Minnesota's firearm deer hunting season gets under way November 3. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters to follow the rules.
According to Colonel Jim Konrad, DNR Enforcement Division director, most hunters are law abiding, but there are common hunting violations that occur every year.
Konrad said that in 2011, conservation officers issued 157 citations and 52 warnings for hunting over bait, while 93 citations and 24 warnings were issued for transporting an uncased/loaded firearm.
Shooting from the road right-of-way at big game is also a top violation, with a five-year average of 68 citations and eight warnings each year. Failure to validate a tag, untagged game, and having no license round out the other top hunting violations for 2011.
Other common infractions include trespass, deer shining, failure to register game and license not in possession.
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Hunters with questions on Minnesota's hunting laws should consult the 2012 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook.
DNR also encourages hunters to protect the future of their sport by hunting responsibly and reporting hunting violations to the toll-free Turn-In-Poacher (TIP) hotline at 1-800-652-9093. Also, #TIP is available to most cell phone users in Minnesota.
