Minnesota Session Laws - 1988, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1988 

                        CHAPTER 677-H.F.No. 1817 
           An act relating to game and fish; prohibiting the use 
          of certain meat in baiting bears; regulating placing 
          decoys in public waters or on public lands; requiring 
          lifesaving devices in duckboats; amending Minnesota 
          Statutes 1986, sections 97B.425; 97B.811; and 361.141, 
          subdivision 1. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 97B.425, is 
amended to read:  
    97B.425 [BAITING BEARS.] 
    Notwithstanding section 609.68, a person placing may place 
bait to take bear and must display a tag at each site where bait 
is placed and register the sites.  The commissioner shall 
prescribe the method of tagging and registering the sites.  A 
person may not use solid waste containing bottles, cans, 
plastic, paper, metal, or other materials that are not readily 
biodegradable as a bait to attract bear.  To attract bear a 
person may not use a bait with: 
    (1) a carcass from a mammal, if the carcass contains more 
than 25 percent of the intact carcass; 
    (2) solid waste containing bottles, cans, plastic, paper, 
or metal; or 
    (3) materials that are not readily biodegradable. 
     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 97B.811, is 
amended to read:  
    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 DECOYS.] Except as provided in 
subdivisions 3 and 4, a person may not place decoys in public 
waters or on public lands more than one hour before sunrise 
during the open season lawful shooting hours for waterfowl.  
    Subd. 3.  [RESTRICTIONS ON LEAVING DECOYS OVERNIGHT.] 
During the open season for waterfowl, a person may not leave 
decoys in public waters between sunset and one hour before 
sunrise lawful shooting hours unless:  
    (1) the decoys are in waters adjacent to private land under 
the control of the hunter; and 
    (2) there is not natural vegetation growing in water 
sufficient to partially conceal a hunter.  
    Subd. 4.  [DECOYS THAT ARE NAVIGATIONAL HAZARD PROHIBITED.] 
A person may not leave decoys in public waters between sunset 
and one hour before sunrise lawful shooting hours if the decoys 
constitute a navigational hazard. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 361.141, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [PERSONAL FLOTATION OR LIFESAVING DEVICES.] 
Watercraft and duck boats using the waters of this state shall 
be equipped with the number and type of personal flotation or 
lifesaving devices prescribed by the commissioner.  The 
commissioner shall not require sailboards to be equipped with 
personal flotation or lifesaving devices.  Nor shall the 
commissioner require persons on sailboards to wear those devices 
or have them readily available. 
    Approved April 27, 1988