Not so fast for no crossbow season in MN
I found the following in ammended legislation in MN from 4/2/07 regarding crossbow hunting in MN. It reads to me, that crossbows will be legal to use by all during some portion of the firearms season and then as of 2/2009 and all cases of poaching will be reviewed in order to see if theaddition of crossbows for 2 seasons has affected poaching. Can you say crossbows legal in archery season for 2009 as poaching will not go up!
Sec. 48. CROSSBOW DEER SEASON.
18.8Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.035, or other law to the contrary,
18.9the commissioner of natural resources shall establish an open season for taking deer
18.10by crossbow during the regular firearm season each year. Crossbows must meet the
18.11requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.106, subdivision 2. A person taking deer
18.12by crossbow must have a crossbow deer hunting license. The fee for a resident crossbow
18.13deer hunting license is $26 and the fee for a nonresident crossbow deer hunting license is
18.14$135. The commissioner may adopt exempt rules regulating the crossbow deer season
18.15according to Minnesota Statutes, section 14.386. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
18.16section 14.386, a rule adopted under this section is effective until January 1, 2009.
18.17EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment
18.18and expires January 1, 2009.
18.19Sec. 49. CROSSBOW SEASON REPORT.
18.20By February 1, 2009, the commissioner of natural resources shall submit a report to
18.21the chairs of the house and senate committees having jurisdiction over natural resources
18.22that includes the number of crossbow deer season licenses issued under section 48 and
18.23addresses whether there was an increase in poaching or other hunting problems during the
18.24time a crossbow deer season was permitted.