Minnesota Shotgun Zone going to Rifle

[Gellar]

I'm anxious to see how allowing each county to decide works out. Knowing first hand how county meetings become a shit show of emotions with a lot of misinformation being thrown around I can imagine how this will go.

 

[Nick87]

have not personally seen a decline in deer quantity or quality. I thought I would, but I just haven't seen it. I've actually taken more 5.5 year old bucks since the change than all the years before it.

Are you hunting a fairly large chunk of property?

 

[tboltz34]

My experience with the recent changes in that part of the state.

You used to have to pick which season you wanted to hunt. Now you can hunt both gun seasons. Used to only be able to shoot 1 buck. Now can shoot 3 (with different weapons). On top of this, they have late season CWD hunts which allow unlimited deer/bucks.

I have not personally seen a decline in deer quantity or quality. I thought I would, but I just haven't seen it. I've actually taken more 5.5 year old bucks since the change than all the years before it.

I think people who are going to shoot big bucks are probably already doing it. Putting a rifle in their hand isn't going to change that.


People that were shooting a ton of deer are going to continue shooting a ton of them. People that weren't will continue to not. The reason they are or are not is not a function of their ability to kill them.

I suppose it's possible for more deer to get gimped from long shots, but I see plenty of those with the shotgun already so I don't know that it would really change.

Unless I'm mistaken, I thought Minnesota was a one buck state across all seasons. Granted, they allow party hunting and that gets taken advantage of.

 

[tboltz34]

I'm anxious to see how allowing each county to decide works out. Knowing first hand how county meetings become a shit show of emotions with a lot of misinformation being thrown around I can imagine how this will go.

I agree, too many people that are not informed with a chance to persuade a decision. One county could have one individual who is extremely vocal using inaccurate information, anecdotal experiences, and hypothetical situations. Data and evidence should decide, not emotions. The state wanted to save grace, "the county can decide, we just gave the option".

 

[Gellar]

Houston County Minnesota had a public meeting on March 3. you can find the minutes from the meeting at this link: https://www.co.houston.mn.us/public-meetings/ BOC minutes 2026 | Page 62-66. On March 10 the BOC discussed it at a work group meeting, no public comment. Those minutes are at the same link on page 68. During the Work Group meeting one of the commissioners noted two counties that had opted to not do a county ordinance against rifles. No action was taken and its noted to be taken up at a later meeting. I cannot find the date at which the the DNR has to be notified of an ordinance but I would think it is soon so they can get the regulations for 2026 posted and printed.


In another note from reading the minutes I saw the B.O.C. discussed expansion of cold water stream designation for trout fishing and they are against that.

 

[mntatonka]

Unless I'm mistaken, I thought Minnesota was a one buck state across all seasons. Granted, they allow party hunting and that gets taken advantage of.

Much of the southeast is one per license type (archery, firearms, muzzleloader). But I would be willing to bet it's a miniscule percentage that takes advantage of that. Same thing with party hunting, it's a tiny percentage of people that cross tag bucks.

 

[thomas89]

Wisconsin's statewide switch to allowing rifles has been fairly recent, I don't care enough to look up the exact date. Local municipalities are able to limit the discharge of centerfire rifles within their township boundaries, but most of these little townships are reliant on the county sheriff for their police needs, and you won't be able to get a deputy to enforce that law.

I hunted SE Wisconsin shotgun/bow/muzzleloader only growing up. I've been back and hunted rifle several times. Not much changed at all. The woods are so thick in 95% of the places I hunt that having one or the other doesn't make much difference. I think the past few deer I've killed were on the ground within 20 yards, with the exception being a longer poke of about 130 through a pine thicket. Firearm safety is still firearm safety, no matter what you're carrying.

 

[mntatonka]

Wisconsin's statewide switch to allowing rifles has been fairly recent, I don't care enough to look up the exact date. Local municipalities are able to limit the discharge of centerfire rifles within their township boundaries, but most of these little townships are reliant on the county sheriff for their police needs, and you won't be able to get a deputy to enforce that law.

I hunted SE Wisconsin shotgun/bow/muzzleloader only growing up. I've been back and hunted rifle several times. Not much changed at all. The woods are so thick in 95% of the places I hunt that having one or the other doesn't make much difference. I think the past few deer I've killed were on the ground within 20 yards, with the exception being a longer poke of about 130 through a pine thicket. Firearm safety is still firearm safety, no matter what you're carrying.

2013 was the Wisconsin switch. And they've had like 8 of their 10 safest hunting seasons since.

 

[rogerthat]

Rifles during the rut are garbage. I don’t care where you live. Step in the wrong direction imo

 

[tboltz34]

Much of the southeast is one per license type (archery, firearms, muzzleloader). But I would be willing to bet it's a miniscule percentage that takes advantage of that. Same thing with party hunting, it's a tiny percentage of people that cross tag bucks.

I agree, it think its a small percentage that holds little weight in the grand scheme. What I meant for taking advantage of is lawfully. I know some people are not within direct vision or verbal contact.

 

[tboltz34]

Rifles during the rut are garbage. I don’t care where you live. Step in the wrong direction imo

The step has very little difference since shotguns have already been used in the rut. Address the root cause, which is firearm hunting the rut.