Title Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota Statutes

94.54 SCHOOLS AND ROADS NEAR NATIONAL FORESTS. It shall be the duty of the county board of each county receiving such money to use the portion allotted to public schools to aid in maintaining those school districts that may be situated within or near the national forest, and the …

94.55 TRANSFER OF STATE-OWNED IMPROVEMENTS. The commissioner may sell or transfer an improvement located on state-owned lands, the compensation for which shall be determined by the commissioner. The sale or transfer shall be accomplished by a bill of sale, describing the improvem…

97A.011 CITATION. This chapter and chapters 97B and 97C may be cited as the "game and fish laws." History: 1986 c 386 art 1 s 1

97A.015 DEFINITIONS. § Subdivision 1.Applicability. The terms defined in this section apply to this chapter and chapters 97B and 97C. § Subd. 2.Angling; angler. "Angling" means taking fish with a hook and line. An "angler" is a person who takes fish by angling. § Subd. 3.Big game…

97A.021 CONSTRUCTION. § Subdivision 1.Code of Criminal Procedure. A provision of the game and fish laws that is inconsistent with the Code of Criminal Procedure or of penal law is only effective under the game and fish laws. § Subd. 2.Authority of commissioner. A provision of the…

97A.025 OWNERSHIP OF WILD ANIMALS. The ownership of wild animals of the state is in the state, in its sovereign capacity for the benefit of all the people of the state. A person may not acquire a property right in wild animals, or destroy them, unless authorized under the game an…

97A.028 CROP PROTECTION ASSISTANCE. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section. (b) "Agricultural crops" means annually seeded crops, legumes, fruit orchards, tree farms and nurseries, turf farms, and apiaries. (c) "Parcel" has the …

97A.031 WANTON WASTE. (a) Unless expressly allowed, a person may not wantonly waste or destroy a usable part of a protected wild animal. (b) This section does not apply to common carp. History: 1986 c 386 art 1 s 5; 2023 c 60 art 4 s 40

97A.035 REMOVING SIGNS PROHIBITED. A person may not remove or deface a Department of Natural Resources sign, without approval of the commissioner. History: 1986 c 386 art 1 s 6

97A.037 HUNTER, TRAPPER, AND ANGLER HARASSMENT PROHIBITED. § Subdivision 1.Interference with taking wild animals prohibited. A person who has the intent to prevent or disrupt another person from taking or preparing to take a wild animal or enjoyment of the out-of-doors must not d…

97A.041 EXHIBITION OF WILDLIFE. § Subdivision 1.Definition. For the purposes of this section, "wildlife" means any wild mammal, wild bird, reptile, or amphibian. § Subd. 2.Possession. A person connected with a commercial enterprise may not possess wildlife in captivity for public…

97A.043 FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORIES. The commissioner of natural resources, in cooperation with the commissioner of health, shall ensure that fish consumption advisories are displayed in at least four different languages, one of which must be English, to fairly represent the popu…

97A.045 COMMISSIONER; GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. § Subdivision 1.Duties; generally. (a) The commissioner shall do all things the commissioner determines are necessary to preserve, protect, and propagate desirable species of wild animals. The commissioner shall make special provis…

97A.0451 AUTHORITY FOR USING EMERGENCY RULES PROCEDURE; EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY. § Subdivision 1.When to use emergency rulemaking. When the commissioner is directed by statute, federal law, or court order to adopt, amend, suspend, or repeal a rule in a manner that does not allow …

97A.0452 NOTICE OF PROPOSED ADOPTION OF EMERGENCY RULE. The proposed emergency rule must be published with a notice of intent to adopt emergency rules in the State Register, and the same notice must be mailed to all persons registered with the commissioner to receive notice of an…

97A.0453 NOTICE TO COMMITTEES FOR FEES FIXED BY RULE. Before the commissioner submits notice to the State Register of intent to adopt emergency rules that establish or adjust fees, the commissioner shall send a copy of the notice and the proposed rules to the chairs of the house …

97A.0454 MODIFYING PROPOSED EMERGENCY RULE. The proposed emergency rule may be modified if the modifications are supported by the data and views submitted to the commissioner. History: 1995 c 233 art 2 s 43

97A.0455 SUBMITTING PROPOSED EMERGENCY RULE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL. § Subdivision 1.Submission. The commissioner shall submit to the attorney general the proposed emergency rule as published, with any modifications. On the same day that it is submitted, the commissioner shall mail n…

97A.0456 EFFECTIVE DATE OF EMERGENCY RULE. The emergency rule takes effect five working days after approval by the attorney general. The attorney general shall file two copies of the approved emergency rule with the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall forward one cop…

97A.0457 PUBLISHING APPROVAL. As soon as practicable, notice of the attorney general's decision must be published in the State Register and the adopted rule must be published in the manner as provided for adopted rules in section 14.18. History: 1995 c 233 art 2 s 46

97A.0458 EFFECTIVE PERIOD OF EMERGENCY RULE. Emergency rules adopted under sections 97A.0451 to 97A.0459 shall be effective for the period stated in the notice of intent to adopt emergency rules which may not be longer than 180 days. The emergency rules may be continued in effect…

97A.0459 APPROVING FORM OF EMERGENCY RULE. No approved emergency rule shall be filed with the secretary of state or published in the State Register unless the revisor of statutes has certified that the emergency rule's form is approved. History: 1995 c 233 art 2 s 48

97A.051 PUBLISHING LAW SUMMARY; PENALTIES FOR RULE VIOLATIONS. § Subdivision 1. [Repealed, 2003 c 28 art 1 s 20] § Subd. 2.Summary of fish and game laws. (a) The commissioner shall prepare a summary of the hunting and fishing laws and rules and deliver a sufficient supply to lice…

97A.052 PEACE OFFICER TRAINING ACCOUNT. § Subdivision 1.Account established; sources. The peace officer training account is created in the game and fish fund in the state treasury. Revenue from the portion of the surcharges assessed to criminal and traffic offenders in section 35…

97A.055 GAME AND FISH FUND. § Subdivision 1.Establishment; purposes. The game and fish fund is established as a fund in the state treasury. § Subd. 2.Receipts. The commissioner of management and budget shall credit to the game and fish fund all money received under the game and f…

97A.056 OUTDOOR HERITAGE FUND; LESSARD-SAMS OUTDOOR HERITAGE COUNCIL. § Subdivision 1.Outdoor heritage fund. An outdoor heritage fund, under article XI, section 15, of the Minnesota Constitution, is established as an account in the state treasury. All money earned by the outdoor …

97A.057 FEDERAL LAW COMPLIANCE; RESTRICTION ON LICENSE REVENUE. § Subdivision 1.Compliance with federal law. The commissioner shall take any action necessary to comply with the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, United States Code, title 16, sections 669 to 669i, and the Fe…

97A.065 DEDICATION OF CERTAIN RECEIPTS. § Subdivision 1. [Repealed, 2012 c 277 art 1 s 91] § Subd. 2.Fines and forfeited bail. Fines and forfeited bail collected from prosecutions of violations of: the game and fish laws or rules adopted thereunder; sections 84.091 to 84.15 or ru…

97A.071 WILDLIFE ACQUISITION ACCOUNT. § Subdivision 1.Account established. The wildlife acquisition account is established as an account in the game and fish fund. § Subd. 2.Revenue from small-game license surcharge and lifetime licenses. Revenue from the small-game surcharge and…

97A.075 USE OF LICENSE REVENUES. § Subdivision 1.Deer, bear, and lifetime licenses. (a) For purposes of this subdivision, "deer license" means a license issued under section 97A.475, subdivisions 2, clauses (5), (6), (7), (14), (15), and (16); 3, paragraph (a), clauses (2), (3), …

97A.085 GAME REFUGES. § Subdivision 1.State parks. All state parks are designated as game refuges. § Subd. 2.Establishment by commissioner. The commissioner may designate a game refuge if more than 50 percent of the area is in public ownership. The game refuge must be a contiguou…

97A.091 HUNTING ON GAME REFUGES. § Subdivision 1.Hunting and possession of firearms. Except as provided in subdivision 2, a person may not take a wild animal, except fish, within a state game refuge. A person may not carry within a refuge: (1) a firearm unless the firearm is unlo…

97A.092 CONTROLLED HUNTING ZONES. The commissioner may by rule establish controlled hunting zones in areas on or adjacent to wildlife management areas and game refuges where the commissioner determines it is necessary to limit the distribution of waterfowl hunters. The commission…

97A.093 HUNTING, TRAPPING, AND FISHING IN SCIENTIFIC AND NATURAL AREAS. Except as otherwise provided by law, scientific and natural areas are closed to hunting, trapping, and fishing unless: (1) the designating document allows hunting, trapping, or fishing; or (2) the commissione…

97A.095 WATERFOWL PROTECTED AREAS. § Subdivision 1.Migratory-waterfowl sanctuary. The commissioner may designate by rule any part of a state game refuge or any part of a public water that is designated for management purposes under section 97A.101, subdivision 2, as a migratory-w…

97A.098 TRESPASS ON FEDERAL LANDS. A person may not enter or use a national wildlife refuge or federal waterfowl production area in violation of federal law. History: 1993 c 231 s 12

97A.101 PUBLIC WATER RESERVES AND MANAGEMENT DESIGNATION. § Subdivision 1.Reserves. The commissioner may designate and reserve public waters of the state to propagate and protect wild animals. § Subd. 2.Management designation. (a) The commissioner may designate, reserve, and mana…

97A.105 GAME FARMS. § Subdivision 1.License requirements. (a) A person may breed and propagate game birds, bear, or mute swans only on privately owned or leased land and after obtaining a license. Any of the permitted animals on a game farm may be sold to other licensed game farm…

97A.106 FUR FARMS. § Subdivision 1.License requirements. A person may breed and propagate fur-bearing animals only on privately owned or leased land and after obtaining a license. Any of the permitted animals on a fur farm may be sold to other licensed fur farms. "Privately owned…

97A.115 SHOOTING PRESERVES. § Subdivision 1.Licenses; rules. A person may not operate a shooting preserve without a license. The commissioner may issue licenses to operate commercial shooting preserves and private shooting preserves if the commissioner determines that it is in th…

97A.121 HUNTING IN PRIVATE SHOOTING PRESERVES. § Subdivision 1.Hunter's license. (a) A person hunting released birds in a private shooting preserve must have the licenses required by law for hunting pheasants. (b) A license is not required to hunt authorized game birds on a comme…

97A.125 WILDLIFE HABITAT ON PRIVATE LAND. The commissioner may enter into agreements with landowners to develop or improve wildlife habitat on private land and provide financial, technical, and professional assistance and material. History: 1986 c 386 art 1 s 24

97A.126 WALK-IN ACCESS PROGRAM. § Subdivision 1.Establishment. A walk-in access program is established to provide public access to wildlife habitat on private land for hunting, bird-watching, nature photography, and similar compatible uses, excluding trapping, as provided under t…

97A.127 FINANCING WATERFOWL DEVELOPMENT. The commissioner may use funds appropriated for fish and wildlife programs for the purpose of developing, preserving, restoring, and maintaining waterfowl breeding grounds in Canada under agreement or contract with any nonprofit organizati…

97A.131 HATCHERIES. The commissioner may acquire property by gift, lease, purchase, or condemnation and may construct, maintain, operate, and alter facilities for hatcheries. History: 1986 c 386 art 1 s 25; 2014 c 290 s 16

97A.133 STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS. § Subdivision 1.Establishment. State wildlife management areas are established and designated as provided under this section. State wildlife management areas are located and named as indicated in this section. History: 2000 c 485 s 16 § Su…