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WELCOME o Welcome to the 2004 Minnesota hunting seasons. New regulations Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs of the Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources is available to all individuals regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin,
sex, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, age, or disability. Discrimination inquiries
should be sent to MN-DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4031 or the Equal
Opportunity Office, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.
This information is available in an alternative format upon request.
WELCOME
o
Welcome to the 2004 Minnesota hunting seasons. New regulations
for this year are listed below. Have a safe and enjoyable hunt.
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD) INFORMATION
For general information about CWD, this falls testing, and where
you can find the latest information (see pages 8 and 53-54).
NEW REGULATIONS FOR 2004
Minnesotas first mourning dove migratory game bird season since 1946
begins September 1 (see page 51).
The pheasant season is extended to December 31 (see page 40).
Minnesotas first elk season since 1998 will be held this fall; the application
deadline was July 16 (see page 93).
Prairie chicken hunters may take sharp-tailed grouse (see
page 118).
Deer Management and Intensive Harvest Permits have been eliminated
and replaced by Bonus Permits (see page 63).
Firearms and All-season deer hunters will no longer be restricted to taking
antlerless deer in an area declared in advance, but will be asked what permit
area they hunt most often (see pages 8 and 58).
Hunters cannot bring entire carcasses of deer, elk or moose into Minnesota
from areas of other states or provinces where CWD has been found in wild
Youth under 18 years of age may purchase a half-price archery or firearms
deer license and may take deer of either sex statewide (see
page 70).
Youth deer hunts have been expanded; youth hunters may now apply
through ELS; a special youth season will be held in northwest Minnesota.
(see page 81).
Party hunting is now legal with the All-season Deer License (see page 63).
Waterfowl shooting hours on opening day now begin at 9:00 a.m. (see
page 99).
Other miscellaneous hunting and trapping provisions have changed (see
pages 15, 20, 21, 40, 54, 112, 114 and 125).
© Front cover: Bill Marchel, Fort Ripley, MN
© Back cover: Bill Marchel
© Copyright 2004, State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources.
Antler Illustration (pages 56-57): Producing Quality Whitetails Al Brothers and,
Murphy G. Ray, Jr. reprinted with permission.
The sale of advertising pays for a portion of this publication. The State of Minnesota and the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources neither endorse products or services listed nor accept
any liability arising from the use of products or services listed.
Important! This is a summary of Minnesotas hunting and trapping
regulations. For complete regulations, consult the state statutes and rules.
These regulations are valid from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. 2004 Minnesota Hunting Regulations 4 1502_001_140 7/7/04 9:56 AM Page 4
deer or elk (see pages 8 and 53). TABLE OF CONTENTS
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Trespass Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
License Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Purchase and Possession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Youth Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
General Hunting Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Blaze Orange Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32-33
Hunting with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Small Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Dove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Season Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41
Trapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Big Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Deer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Fold-out Zone and Permit Area Map . . . . . . . . . . Between 72-73
Muzzleloader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Archery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Bear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Moose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Elk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Waterfowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Federal Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108-110
Wild Turkeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Prairie Chickens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Wild Rice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Public Lands and Wildlife Refuges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Additional Information and Telephone Numbers . . . . . . . . . .139-140
C
RECYCLABLE: The coated cover protects your regulations from water and
the wear and tear of constant use. To recycle, remove the cover and staples,
and then recycle the remaining pages.
6
2004 Minnesota Hunting Regulations
1502_001_140 7/7/04 9:57 AM Page 6 8
2004 Minnesota Hunting Regulations
ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Q. Mourning doves are classified as migratory game birds by the federal govern-
ment. Does that mean I need to be certified for the Harvest Information
Program (HIP) to legally hunt doves?
A. Yes. To legally hunt any migratory game bird, including doves, ducks, geese,
coots, woodcock, snipe, and rails, hunters must be certified for the HIP pro-
gram on their small game license. Certification is accomplished by answer-
ing yes to the question at license purchase asking if you intend to hunt
migratory birds. If you have already purchased your license and it does not
say HIP Certified then you need to register for the HIP program at any
ELS agent to legally hunt doves or other migratory game birds. HIP certifica-
tion is available at no charge. See page 37 for additional information.
Q. Why do I have to indicate the deer permit area that I hunt most often when I
purchase a license to hunt deer by firearms?
A. The DNR uses this information to help assess hunting pressure and har-
vest success rates. This information is used in setting quotas for taking
antlerless deer and in evaluating season and zone options. This year, the
permit area indicated will not restrict where antlerless deer may be taken
for persons indicating Intensive or Managed Deer Permit areas. However,
persons hunting in Lottery Deer Permit Areas who wish to take antlerless
deer need to apply for the area and are restricted to taking an antlerless
deer in the lottery area where their either-sex permit is valid. The applica-
tion deadline is Sept. 9, 2004.
Q. If Im big game hunting outside the state, are there any restrictions on bringing
back carcasses?
A. Yes, Minnesota has a new law on bringing carcasses into the state (see box
on page 53). Hunters taking deer, moose, elk or caribou from areas in
other states and provinces where CWD has been found in wild deer
or elk may only bring the following carcass parts back into Minnesota:
1) Meat that is boned out or that is cut and wrapped (either commercially
or privately);
2) Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column
or head attached;
3) Hides and teeth;
4) Antlers or clean (no brain tissue attached) skull plates with antlers
attached; or
5) Finished taxidermy mounts.
See www.dnr.state.mn.us for