Minnesota shotgun zone changes??

[03mossy]

Have any of you fellow Minnesotans heard if that bill passed to eliminate the shotgun zone in MN this fall for deer? I can’t find anything on what ended up happening.

 

[mikkel318]

I don't believe that passed. I know they changed crossbows to be available to all ages during archery season.

 

[jgilber5]

I don't believe that passed. I know they changed crossbows to be available to all ages during archery season.

How do others feel about this? I'm curious to know. I'm not exactly thrilled about it seeing as I've seen guys shoot at deer farther with a xbow than a muzzy. Seems to defeat the purpose of an archery season.

 

[kpk]

I was told it did not pass by a friend that called the dnr directly.

 

[jgilber5]

I was told it did not pass by a friend that called the dnr directly.

I hope you're right, I've been seeing a few news articles saying it passed but wouldn't put it past them to mess that up

 

[03mossy]

I emailed the DNR directly and this is there response.



“Thank you for contacting the Minnesota DNR.

The elimination of the shotgun zone was introduced in this years Legislative Session but it did not pass; we will have the same shotgun zone limit this year as we did previously.”


I also asked about the crossbow change to allow crossbows during archery for all ages and that DID pass.

 

[Boarmaster]

How do others feel about this? I'm curious to know. I'm not exactly thrilled about it seeing as I've seen guys shoot at deer farther with a xbow than a muzzy. Seems to defeat the purpose of an archery season.

I’m old so I remember when some of the longbow and recurve hunter up in arms about the new fangled compound bows. Technology poses some issues.

 

[Djacker]

I'm on the fence for both issues. I see pros and cons to both. The archery season harvest is going to change.

 

[Scottyboy]

The Xbow change doesn’t bother me, I’m sure the gun hunters are thrilled, to hopefully have less people out for the 2 weeks they get to play

 

[GrayGoose]

I live in the shotgun zone where it's nothing but open ag land. At this point in time I am happy to see that its staying a shotgun zone. Although if someone has a good argument in support of it, I could easily change my mind. I have to admit I have not read very much into the push to eliminate the shotgun zone.

I primarily archery hunt and the Xbow change doesn't bother me like it once did. Will be interesting to see what impacts it will have on harvest stats and license sales this coming year. Speaking with my father, he echoed boarmaster and said the exact same thing about how recurve/longbow hunters were against the use of compounds.

 

[jgilber5]

Emailed the DNR to ask about the change and heard this back.

The Minnesota DNR did not propose this regulation change; the change came about through the state legislature. The plan is to allow crossbows to be used as legal equipment for the archery deer season. Since this legislation was only passed a couple weeks ago, we are still working out the details of complete regulations. We will include more details about the crossbow regulations when we release the 2023-24 Minnesota hunting regulations later this August. Thanks for your patience!


However, from what we've seen with other states, allowing crossbows has minimal impact on total deer harvest – it usually results in a gradual increase in archery season participation and harvest during archery season, but not a substantial change in overall total deer harvest. We hear your concerns about this regulation change, and we do plan to monitor the effects of it and respond accordingly, whether that's rule changes or changes to deer management.

 

[Scottyboy]

Emailed the DNR to ask about the change and heard this back.

The Minnesota DNR did not propose this regulation change; the change came about through the state legislature. The plan is to allow crossbows to be used as legal equipment for the archery deer season. Since this legislation was only passed a couple weeks ago, we are still working out the details of complete regulations. We will include more details about the crossbow regulations when we release the 2023-24 Minnesota hunting regulations later this August. Thanks for your patience!


However, from what we've seen with other states, allowing crossbows has minimal impact on total deer harvest – it usually results in a gradual increase in archery season participation and harvest during archery season, but not a substantial change in overall total deer harvest. We hear your concerns about this regulation change, and we do plan to monitor the effects of it and respond accordingly, whether that's rule changes or changes to deer management.

And a plus…more people NOT gun hunting the rut. I would also agree there will be no noticeable impact to deer statistics. Look at any other Xbow state (Wisconsin or Ohio for example) and it’s a wash.

 

[jgilber5]

I guess I can get behind that. After almost getting shot while bowhunting the gun season on public I could be ok with spreading the pressure out a bit over the fall.

 

[wind gypsy]

The Xbow change doesn’t bother me, I’m sure the gun hunters are thrilled, to hopefully have less people out for the 2 weeks they get to play

Ha! No reason to be thrilled about having fewer living bucks as well as a deer population that has already seen more hunting pressure prior to firearm season and in turn will be less likely to be active during daylight. The most likely reason I could see there being less hunters in rifle season is for hunters that already tagged out with a xbow and aren't party hunting someone elses tag still in firearm season anyway. In that case, having a living buck and 1 more gun hunter > dead buck and one less gun hunter.

In my opinion, this will result in shittier archery season for existing archery hunters due to increased pressure and shittier gun season quality due to fewer and more educated deer. In many cases, folks wont notice a difference from the already worst-in-region deer hunting MN has.

 

[wind gypsy]

Public areas that have all the deer blown out of them by gun season will be more likely to have all the deer blown out earlier in the year increased hunter pressure.

 

[spur60]

I live in the shotgun zone where it's nothing but open ag land. At this point in time I am happy to see that its staying a shotgun zone. Although if someone has a good argument in support of it, I could easily change my mind. I have to admit I have not read very much into the push to eliminate the shotgun zone.

Here's some arguments in favor of eliminating the shotgun zone:

There are way less large hunting parties today doing post/drive style hunts vs. 20 years ago.

Modern muzzleloaders, rifle caliber pistols, and modern purpose built rifled shotguns have extended effective range from 50-75 yards with the old 12 gauge fosters to 200+ yards.

The season is a week long now vs having to choose 2 day 1st season or 4 day 2nd season, so there is less pressure to "get a deer" right away. (another huge reason there's less post/drive style hunting.)

There are less doe permits issued in zones comprised primarily farm land; therefore less hunting pressure.

Just a few reasons off the top of my head as to why the zone could go away. I'd much rather my daughter be able to use a scoped .243 rather than a pump 20 gauge.

I do sometimes miss the party hunting days though; back when we had 15-20 people in our party, many with a bonus doe tag; and getting to post at the end of a cornfield that we waited until Sunday to walk so that all the neighbors' deer would run there. The look on your crew's face when they exit the end rows and see that you dumped 6 or 7 does is priceless.

 

[Djacker]

Here's some arguments in favor of eliminating the shotgun zone:

There are way less large hunting parties today doing post/drive style hunts vs. 20 years ago.

Modern muzzleloaders, rifle caliber pistols, and modern purpose built rifled shotguns have extended effective range from 50-75 yards with the old 12 gauge fosters to 200+ yards.

The season is a week long now vs having to choose 2 day 1st season or 4 day 2nd season, so there is less pressure to "get a deer" right away. (another huge reason there's less post/drive style hunting.)

There are less doe permits issued in zones comprised primarily farm land; therefore less hunting pressure.

Just a few reasons off the top of my head as to why the zone could go away. I'd much rather my daughter be able to use a scoped .243 rather than a pump 20 gauge.

I do sometimes miss the party hunting days though; back when we had 15-20 people in our party, many with a bonus doe tag; and getting to post at the end of a cornfield that we waited until Sunday to walk so that all the neighbors' deer would run there. The look on your crew's face when they exit the end rows and see that you dumped 6 or 7 does is priceless.

I miss the days of end of season drives too, we still do 1 or 2 every couple years. Once the shots start ringing out my blood gets pumping.

 

[Scottyboy]

Ha! No reason to be thrilled about having fewer living bucks as well as a deer population that has already seen more hunting pressure prior to firearm season and in turn will be less likely to be active during daylight. The most likely reason I could see there being less hunters in rifle season is for hunters that already tagged out with a xbow and aren't party hunting someone elses tag still in firearm season anyway. In that case, having a living buck and 1 more gun hunter > dead buck and one less gun hunter.

In my opinion, this will result in shittier archery season for existing archery hunters due to increased pressure and shittier gun season quality due to fewer and more educated deer. In many cases, folks wont notice a difference from the already worst-in-region deer hunting MN has.

I don’t know man. And this isn’t meant to come across as argumentative…. Is there any evidence from WI or OH (or anywhere else) that show a change in behavior/population/success rates etc from pre and post crossbow becoming legal?

Like you said, the deer hunting here sucks for the most part, and I cannot see crossbows making it any suckier.

For the record, i will not be getting one, but I think this goes back to the age old argument of advancements. Ie; when the first 500yd range finder came out I’m sure everyone was upset because they now the distance at that range instead of Kentucky windage. Then dialing scopes, then better/more accurate rifles, the coming of the compound bow…

I mean shit, id be in favor of slugs only statewide. No reason north of 94, where it is typically more dense/wooded can, but everyone south in the open areas can’t. (Yes, I understand there is more too it, but I think you get what I’m trying to say)

 

[wind gypsy]

I don’t know man. And this isn’t meant to come across as argumentative…. Is there any evidence from WI or OH (or anywhere else) that show a change in behavior/population/success rates etc from pre and post crossbow becoming legal?

I'm basing my assumptions off of basic experiences with deer and some #'s from places like WI. Deer react to pressure I don't need a study to prove it to me. The WI general claim is that overall harvest has remained mostly steady. Off memory, the numbers show more bucks getting killed before gun season, the majority of them being with crossbows. Fewer vertical bow harvest and fewer gun harvest. With party hunting and the nature of how gun season works out, i doubt there is a big drop off of gun season participation because people are using xbows instead. I also believe you can shoot an archery buck AND gun buck in WI. To me, that points to a worse experience for gun hunters and vertical bow hunters to accommodate xbows.

Like you said, the deer hunting here sucks for the most part, and I cannot see crossbows making it any suckier.

For the record, i will not be getting one, but I think this goes back to the age old argument of advancements. Ie; when the first 500yd range finder came out I’m sure everyone was upset because they now the distance at that range instead of Kentucky windage. Then dialing scopes, then better/more accurate rifles, the coming of the compound bow…

Yes, all of these advancements result in more deer getting killed. I'm more for MN doing something that would allow for some resemblance of a balanced sex ratio and an age class rather than a shit load of does and the majority of bucks not seeing their second birthday. Crossbows are just the latest strike. I hunt archery, firearm, and muzzleloader tags. I'd be ok with sacrificing "ease to kill" regulations or season structures in any or all of those seasons if it resulted in a better deer herd so it's not just a selfish desire to kill bucks with my preferred method.

 

[DanimalW]

I don’t know man. And this isn’t meant to come across as argumentative…. Is there any evidence from WI or OH (or anywhere else) that show a change in behavior/population/success rates etc from pre and post crossbow becoming legal?

Like you said, the deer hunting here sucks for the most part, and I cannot see crossbows making it any suckier.

For the record, i will not be getting one, but I think this goes back to the age old argument of advancements. Ie; when the first 500yd range finder came out I’m sure everyone was upset because they now the distance at that range instead of Kentucky windage. Then dialing scopes, then better/more accurate rifles, the coming of the compound bow…

I mean shit, id be in favor of slugs only statewide. No reason north of 94, where it is typically more dense/wooded can, but everyone south in the open areas can’t. (Yes, I understand there is more too it, but I think you get what I’m trying to say)

I live in Wisconsin. I don’t care for crossbows because I’m a bow hunter, but it doesn’t bother me that folks are using them. Yes, they’re easy to pick up and shoot well with little practice, and there’s no movement to draw, which is a huge advantage, but totally takes MOST of the fun out of it. But to each their own.

Reason why most bow hunters hate it is because they see all the photos of nice bucks killed by women, children and your average joes with crossbows on social media. People that didn’t participate in the archery season before. And people have the mindset now that they own all of the deer because they made such a huge investment in property, food plots, and cameras for a deer. Most people aren’t happy when their neighbor kills the big buck on their cameras. Doing it now with a crossbow just throws salt on the wound. I don’t really have that mindset, but it seems most do. What’s really interesting is how pissed off guys on FB get about kids shooting nice bucks during the October youth rifle hunt. Off topic, but I will say this, there are definitely more archery hunters in the woods during the rut than there were before crossbows. And it’s justified for people to not like that.

All that being said, my 7 yo daughter shoots a compound, and I love that. I just don’t know why someone that is able to shoot a bow would want to shoot a crossbow. It’s more like a goofy, cumbersome short range rifle to me.