Title Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota Statutes

97B.665 BEAVER DAMS; THREATS TO SAFETY OR PROPERTY. § Subdivision 1. [Repealed, 2010 c 361 art 4 s 83] § Subd. 1a.Removing beaver dams; agreement by landowner. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a beaver dam that is causing damage to property may be removed or destroyed by …

97B.667 REMOVING BEAVERS, BEAVER DAMS, AND LODGES; ROAD AUTHORITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS. § Subdivision 1.Road authorities. (a) When a drainage watercourse is impaired by a beaver dam and the water damages or threatens to damage a public road, the road authority, as defined…

97B.668 ANIMALS CAUSING DAMAGE. § Subdivision 1.Game birds causing damage. Notwithstanding sections 97B.091 and 97B.805, subdivisions 1 and 2, a person or agent of that person on lands and nonpublic waters owned or operated by the person may nonlethally scare, haze, chase, or har…

97B.671 PREDATOR-CONTROL PROGRAM. § Subdivision 1.Authorization to take predators. If the commissioner determines that predators are damaging domestic or wild animals and further damage can be prevented, the commissioner shall authorize the taking of the predators by predator con…

97B.701 PROTECTED BIRDS. § Subdivision 1.Authorized taking. Protected birds, their nests, and their eggs may be taken only as authorized under the game and fish laws. § Subd. 2.Prohibited methods of taking. A person may not take protected birds: (1) with a trap, net, or snare; (2…

97B.705 RESTRICTIONS ON TRAPPING BIRDS. (a) Except as provided in this section, a person may not take a bird with a steel jaw leg-hold trap mounted on a pole, post, tree stump, or other perch more than three feet above the ground. (b) A person that has a permit to take great horn…

97B.715 PHEASANTS. § Subdivision 1.Stamp required. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) or section 97A.405, subdivision 2, a person required to possess a small-game license may not hunt pheasants without a pheasant stamp validation. (b) The following persons are exempt from th…

97B.716 PRAIRIE CHICKENS. § Subdivision 1.License required. A person may not take a prairie chicken without a prairie-chicken license. § Subd. 2. Registration. The commissioner may by rule prescribe requirements for the registration of prairie chickens. [See Note.] § Subd. 3.Limi…

97B.721 LICENSE REQUIRED TO TAKE TURKEY; REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) or section 97A.405, subdivision 2, a person may not take a turkey without possessing a turkey license. (b) An unlicensed adult age 18 or older may assist a licensed wild-tu…

97B.722 POSSESSING FIREARMS; HUNTING TURKEY. (a) While afield hunting turkeys, licensees may not have in possession or control: (1) any firearm that is not a legal firearm as defined in paragraph (c); or (2) any bow and arrow except those defined as legal for taking turkeys in ru…

97B.723 COMMISSIONER MAY LIMIT NUMBER OF TURKEY HUNTERS. The commissioner may establish a method, including a drawing, to impartially select persons eligible to take turkeys in an area. Preference must be given to persons that have previously applied in the general selection but …

97B.725 GUIDING HUNTERS. A person may not guide turkey hunters for compensation. History: 1986 c 386 art 2 s 62; 2005 c 146 s 38

97B.731 MIGRATORY BIRDS. § Subdivision 1.Migratory game birds. (a) Migratory game birds may be taken and possessed. A person may not take, buy, sell, possess, transport, or ship migratory game birds in violation of federal law. (b) The commissioner shall prescribe seasons, limits…

97B.735 SWANS. A person who takes, harasses, destroys, buys, sells, possesses, transports, or ships a native swan in violation of the game and fish laws is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. History: 2023 c 60 art 4 s 61

97B.801 MINNESOTA MIGRATORY-WATERFOWL STAMP REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided in this section or section 97A.405, subdivision 2, a person required to possess a small-game license may not take migratory waterfowl without a migratory-waterfowl stamp validation. (b) Residents under a…

97B.805 RESTRICTIONS ON METHOD OF TAKING WATERFOWL ON WATER. § Subdivision 1.Taking in open water. (a) A person may not take migratory waterfowl, coots, or rails in open water unless the person is: (1) within a natural growth of vegetation sufficient to partially conceal the pers…

97B.811 DECOYS AND BLINDS ON PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS. § Subdivision 1.Blinds and decoys prohibited before season. A person may not erect a blind or place decoys in public waters or on public land more than one hour before the open season for waterfowl. § Subd. 2.Hours for placing…

97B.901 REGISTRATION AND TAGGING FUR-BEARING ANIMALS. (a) The commissioner may, by rule, require persons taking, possessing, and transporting fur-bearing animals to tag the animals. The commissioner shall prescribe the manner of issuance and the type of tag, which must show the y…

97B.903 USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAPS. A person may not set, place, or operate, except as a water set, a body-gripping or conibear-type trap on public lands and waters that has a maximum jaw opening when set greater than 6-1/2 inches and less than 7-1/2 inches measured from the insi…

97B.905 FUR DEALER'S LICENSES. § Subdivision 1.License requirement. (a) A person may not buy or sell raw furs without a fur-buying-and-selling license, except: (1) a taxidermist licensed under section 97A.475, subdivision 19, and a fur manufacturer are not required to have a lice…

97B.9251 BEAVER SEASON. The commissioner may establish open seasons and restrictions for taking beaver from 9:00 a.m. on the Saturday nearest October 26 in the North Zone and from 9:00 a.m. on the Saturday nearest October 30 in the South Zone. The seasons shall be open until May …

97B.926 PINE MARTEN AND FISHER ZONE. Where a combined pine marten and fisher trapping zone exists, the commissioner must provide an option of a combined limit of fisher and marten. History: 1997 c 226 s 35

97B.928 IDENTIFYING TRAPS AND SNARES. § Subdivision 1.Information required. (a) A person may not set or place a trap or snare, other than on property owned or occupied by the person, unless the following information is affixed to the trap or snare in a manner that ensures that th…

97B.931 TENDING TRAPS. § Subdivision 1.Restrictions. A person may not tend a trap set for wild animals between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. a person on foot may use a portable artificial light to tend traps. While using a light in the field, the perso…

97B.941 TAMPERING WITH TRAPS. A person may not remove or tamper with a trap legally set to take fur-bearing animals or unprotected wild animals without authorization. Authorized persons include the commissioner and the owner or lessee of the land where the trap is located. Histor…

97B.945 SETTING TRAPS NEAR WATER RESTRICTED. A person may not set a trap within 50 feet of any water other than temporary surface water within 30 days before the open season for mink and muskrat without a special permit by the commissioner. History: 1986 c 386 art 2 s 76; 1987 c …

97B.951 USE OF SNARES TO TAKE UNPROTECTED MAMMALS. A snare set for an unprotected mammal may not be left in place after March 31 except as authorized by the commissioner for the predator-control program under section 97B.671. History: 1993 c 231 s 46

97C.001 EXPERIMENTAL WATERS. § Subdivision 1.Definition; designation. (a) Experimental waters are lakes and streams where special regulations are used and evaluated to meet a specific fisheries objective. (b) The commissioner may designate any waters of the state having free acce…

97C.005 SPECIAL MANAGEMENT WATERS. § Subdivision 1.Definition; designation. (a) Special management waters are waters that: (1) have been subject to special regulations that have been evaluated and proven effective under an experimental waters designation under section 97C.001; or…

97C.007 NORTHERN PIKE EXPERIMENTAL AND SPECIAL MANAGEMENT WATERS. The combined number of lakes designated for northern pike under sections 97C.001 and 97C.005 may not exceed 100 at one time. Until November 1, 2021, the designated lakes must be selected from the lakes identified i…

97C.02 ACQUIRING CRITICAL AQUATIC HABITAT. The commissioner shall acquire lands that are critical for fish and other aquatic life and that meet criteria described for aquatic management areas in section 86A.05, subdivision 14. The lands that are acquired may be developed to manag…

97C.021 ANGLING RESTRICTED IN TROUT STREAMS. A person may only take fish from a designated trout stream during the open season for trout in the stream. History: 1986 c 386 art 3 s 5

97C.025 FISHING AND MOTORBOATS RESTRICTED IN CERTAIN AREAS. (a) The commissioner may prohibit or restrict the taking of fish or the operation of motorboats by posting waters that: (1) are designated as spawning beds or fish preserves; (2) are being used by the commissioner for fi…

97C.035 ENDANGERED FISH POPULATIONS. § Subdivision 1.Conditions. If the commissioner determines that fish are in danger of dying, or if waters will be restored with the use of piscicides, the commissioner may rescue the fish under subdivision 2 or allow taking of the fish under s…

97C.041 COMMISSIONER MAY REMOVE NATIVE ROUGH FISH, COMMON CARP, AND RAINBOW SMELT. The commissioner may take native rough fish, common carp, and rainbow smelt with seines, nets, and other devices. The commissioner may hire or contract persons, or issue permits, to take the fish. …

97C.045 REMOVING COMMON CARP AND NATIVE ROUGH FISH FROM BOUNDARY WATERS. The commissioner may enter into agreements with North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa, relating to the removal of common carp and native rough fish in boundary waters. The agreements may include: (…

97C.051 SPECIAL PERMITS TO USE PISCICIDES. § Subdivision 1.Permit. (a) The commissioner may issue a special permit, without a fee, to apply piscicides to restore waters at the permittee's expense. The commissioner may by rule prescribe insurance requirements for permit applicants…

97C.055 REMOVING DEAD FISH. The commissioner shall remove and dispose of dead fish that accumulate in or upon the shores of public waters in quantities that are a public nuisance or are detrimental to game fish. History: 1986 c 386 art 3 s 12

97C.061 DRAGGING WEIGHT OR ANCHOR THROUGH VEGETATION. A person may not use a motorboat to drag an anchor or other weight through aquatic vegetation, except by commissioner's rule. History: 1986 c 386 art 3 s 13; 1991 c 259 s 23

97C.065 POLLUTANTS IN WATERS. A person may not dispose of any substance in state waters, or allow any substance to enter state waters, in quantities that injure or are detrimental to the propagation of wild animals or taint the flesh of wild animals. Each day of violation is a se…

97C.071 STRUCTURES IN PUBLIC WATERS. A person may not construct or maintain a dam or other obstruction, except a boat pier, in or over public waters without a permit from the commissioner. The commissioner may establish permit conditions for the construction or modification of a …

97C.075 FISH SCREENS IN FLOWING WATERS. A person may not obstruct a creek, stream, or river to prevent the passage of fish with a rack or screen without the permission of the commissioner. The person that erected the obstruction, or the owner of the land where the obstruction is …

97C.077 FISH SCREENS IN LAKES. § Subdivision 1.Lake in single county. If all or a major part of a navigable lake is located within a single county and has been stocked with fish by the United States government, the county board, in order to maintain fish in the lake and prevent t…

97C.081 FISHING CONTESTS. § Subdivision 1.Restrictions. A person may not conduct a fishing contest on waters except as provided in this section. § Subd. 2. [Repealed, 1Sp2011 c 2 art 5 s 70] § Subd. 3.Contests requiring permit. (a) Unless subdivision 3a applies, a person must hav…

97C.085 PERMIT REQUIRED FOR TAGGING FISH. A person may not tag or otherwise mark a live fish for identification without a permit from the commissioner, except for special fish management tags as authorized under section 97A.551. History: 1993 c 231 s 52; 1Sp2005 c 1 art 2 s 114

97C.087 SPECIAL FISH MANAGEMENT REGISTRATION. § Subdivision 1.Registration. If the commissioner determines it is necessary to require that a species of fish be registered, the commissioner shall prescribe, by rule, the species to be registered, registration procedures, and endors…