Minnesota Administrative Rules

6232.2800 GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR TAKING BEARS.

Subpart 1.

Bag limit.

A person may not take more than one bear in quota areas and two bears in no-quota areas during any calendar year whether by firearm or archery. Bears taken may be of either sex or any age except that bear cubs may not be taken.

Subp. 2.

Party hunting.

Party hunting for bears is not permitted. A person may not shoot a bear for another person, validate a bear killed by another person, or register a bear shot by another person.

Subp. 3.

Dens.

A person may not take or disturb any bear in a den.

Subp. 4.

License validation.

At the site of kill, the license of the person who killed the bear must be validated. Validation consists of indicating:

A.

the date of kill;

B.

whether taken by firearms or archery; and

C.

the sex of the bear harvested.

Subp. 5.

Skinning and quartering bears.

Bears may be skinned, quartered, or further divided prior to transportation and registration, but all edible meat and all other parts of the bear, except the entrails, must be retained by the hunter until registration is completed.

Subp. 6.

Registration requirements and sample collection.

A.

Every person taking a bear must present it for registration:

(1)

at a designated bear registration station or must connect to an online Department of Natural Resources harvest registration system and follow the instructions; or

(2)

in the case of a nuisance bear authorization, to the authorizing wildlife manager or conservation officer.

B.

Bear must be registered according to item A:

(1)

before the bear is processed either privately or commercially; and

(2)

within 48 hours after taking.

C.

A person registering bear must obtain a registration confirmation number at a designated bear registration station or by using an online Department of Natural Resources harvest registration system.

D.

Registration agents are not required to inspect bear at registration stations.

E.

A person may not process a bear unless it has been registered as evidenced by a registration confirmation number.

Subp. 7.

Sample collection.

Within 48 hours after the bear season closes, a person taking a bear must submit samples to the department in the envelope provided at bear registration stations according to instructions of the department as printed on the envelope. It is the responsibility of each person taking a bear to mail the envelope to the department, except in those cases where a bear registration station is collecting the samples.

Subp. 8.

White bears protected.

A person may not take a white bear.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 84.027; 97A.485; 97A.535; 97B.411

History:

18 SR 83; 22 SR 292; 24 SR 644; 34 SR 621; 39 SR 1006; 49 SR 1416

Published Electronically:

July 30, 2026