HF 1333
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 02/24/2025 03:23 p.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to game and fish; requiring moose license lottery and auction; establishing
a moose research account; establishing fees; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 97A.431; 97A.475, subdivision 3; 97B.505.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.431, is amended to read:
97A.431 MOOSE LICENSESnew text begin ; MOOSE RESEARCH ACCOUNTnew text end .
Subdivision 1.
Number of licenses; party size.
new text begin (a) new text end The commissioner deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end include
in a rule setting the dates for a moose season:
(1) the number of licenses to be issued; and
(2) the size of a moose hunting party, not to exceed six persons.
new text begin
(b) The commissioner must issue at least four moose licenses each year as follows:
new text end
new text begin
(1) at least two moose licenses must be issued through a lottery system under subdivision
4a; and
new text end
new text begin
(2) at least two moose licenses must be issued through a public auction as provided
under subdivision 4b.
new text end
Subd. 2.
Eligibility.
new text begin (a) new text end Persons eligible for a moose license deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end be determined
under this section and commissioner's rule. A person is eligible for a moose license only if
the persondeleted text begin :
deleted text end
deleted text begin (1)deleted text end is a residentdeleted text begin ; and
deleted text end
deleted text begin (2) has not been issued a moose license after January 1, 1991deleted text end new text begin , except as provided under
subdivision 4bnew text end .
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(b) A person who has received a moose license within the past ten years is ineligible for
the moose license lottery under subdivision 4a and may not submit a moose license lottery
application.
new text end
Subd. 3.
Application for license.
new text begin (a) new text end An application for a moose licensenew text begin , the moose
license lottery, or the moose license auctionnew text end must be on a form provided by the commissioner
and accompanied by a deleted text begin $4deleted text end nonrefundable application fee deleted text begin per persondeleted text end new text begin as follows:
new text end
new text begin
(1) for a moose license during an open season, $25 per person;
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new text begin
(2) for a moose license lottery under subdivision 4a, $25 per person; and
new text end
new text begin (3) for a moose license auction under subdivision 4b, $25 per personnew text end .
new text begin (b) new text end A person may not make more than one application for each new text begin type of license per new text end season.
If a person makes more than one applicationnew text begin for a license typenew text end , the person is ineligible for
a license for that season after determination by the commissioner, without a hearing.new text begin A
person may be issued only one moose license per year.
new text end
Subd. 4.
Separate selection; eligibility.
(a) The commissioner may conduct a separate
selection for up to 20 percent of the moose licenses to be issued for an area. Only owners
of, and tenants living on, at least 160 acres of agricultural or grazing land in the area, and
their family members, are eligible for the separate selection under this paragraph.
(b) The commissioner must conduct a separate selection for 20 percent of the moose
licenses to be issued each year. Only individuals who have applied at least ten times for a
moose license and who have never received a license are eligible for this separate selection.
(c) The commissioner may by rule establish criteria for:
(1) determining eligible family members under paragraph (a); and
(2) verifying that an individual has made at least ten unsuccessful applications for the
purposes of paragraph (b).
(d) A person who is unsuccessful in a separate selection under this subdivision must be
included in the selection for the remaining licenses.
new text begin Subd. 4a. new text end
new text begin Moose license lottery. new text end
new text begin
The commissioner must hold an annual moose license
lottery to select and award moose licenses to selected eligible applicants. The commissioner
must provide a successful applicant with a notice and instructions for purchasing a license.
Successful applicants who do not purchase a license according to the instructions must be
disqualified.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 4b. new text end
new text begin Moose license auction. new text end
new text begin
The commissioner must hold an annual public moose
license auction open to all eligible applicants. The commissioner must provide the highest
eligible bidders the opportunity to purchase a moose license. The commissioner must provide
a successful bidder with a notice and instructions for obtaining the license. A successful
bidder who does not submit the winning bid amount and purchase a license according to
the instructions provided must be disqualified. Residents and nonresidents are eligible for
a license issued under this subdivision.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 5. new text end
new text begin Moose research account. new text end
new text begin
The moose research account is created in the game
and fish fund. Revenue from moose license application fees, moose licenses, and revenue
from moose license auctions must be credited to the moose research account and is
appropriated to the commissioner to:
new text end
new text begin
(1) evaluate adult moose mortality;
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(2) examine the survival, recruitment, and mortality of moose calves;
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(3) monitor mortality factors, including disease prevalence and parasite loads;
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new text begin
(4) examine moose-habitat relationships to identify critical summer and winter habitats;
and
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(5) otherwise support the goals of the moose management and research plan required
under Laws 2008, chapter 368, article 2, section 76.
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Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.475, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Nonresident hunting.
(a) Fees for the following licenses, to be issued to
nonresidents, are:
(1) for persons age 18 or over to take small game, $90.50;
(2) for persons age 18 or over to take deer with firearms during the regular firearms
season, $180;
(3) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by archery, $180;
(4) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by muzzleloader during the muzzleloader
season, $180;
(5) for persons age 18 or over to take bear, $225;
(6) for persons age 18 or over to take turkey, $91;
(7) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take turkey, $5;
(8) to take raccoon or bobcat, $178;
(9) to take light geese during the light goose conservation order, $2.50;
(10) to take sandhill crane during the sandhill crane season, $3;
(11) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer with firearms during the
regular firearms season in any open season option or time period, $5;
(12) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer by archery, $5;
(13) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer during the muzzleloader
season, $5;
(14) for persons age 13 or over and under 18 to take bear, $5;
(15) for persons age 18 or over to take small game for a consecutive 72-hour period
selected by the licensee, $75, of which an amount equal to one-half of the fee for the
migratory-waterfowl stamp under subdivision 5, clause (1), shall be deposited in the
waterfowl habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 2; one-half of
the fee for the pheasant stamp under subdivision 5, clause (2), shall be deposited in the
pheasant habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 4; and one-half
of the small-game surcharge under subdivision 4, shall be deposited into the wildlife
acquisition account;
(16) for persons age 16 or 17 to take small game, $5;
(17) to take wolf, $250;
(18) for persons age 12 and under to take turkey, no fee;
(19) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take deer by firearm, no fee;
(20) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take deer by archery, no fee;
(21) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take deer by muzzleloader during the muzzleloader
season, no fee; deleted text begin and
deleted text end
(22) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take bear, no feenew text begin ; and
new text end
new text begin (23) for successful bidders obtaining a moose license under section 97A.431, subdivision
4b, $500new text end .
(b) A $5 surcharge shall be added to nonresident hunting licenses issued under paragraph
(a), clauses (1) to (6) and (8). An additional commission may not be assessed on this
surcharge.
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.505, is amended to read:
97B.505 MOOSE SEASON AND RESTRICTIONS.
new text begin (a) new text end The commissioner may, by rule, prescribe the open season and the areas and
conditions for deleted text begin thedeleted text end taking deleted text begin ofdeleted text end moose.
new text begin
(b) The commissioner must make the number of licenses to be offered, season dates,
areas, and conditions for taking moose under moose licenses issued under section 97A.431,
subdivisions 4a and 4b, publicly available at least 60 days before any applicable application
deadline.
new text end