Shoot from a boat on the river?

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

Is or is it not legal to bring a firearm onto the boat and pop off coons and other non protected species?

Is there a statute on this that one could read the fine lines?

[broken_line]

it is illegal from my understandging to shoot off of any motor vehicle.. the expetion is boats concilled in natural cover with motor out of the water..

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Would be so much fun to do this, but I definitely don't see it being allowed even on a WMA.

[Tom7227]

Page 11 2008 Waterfowl Regulations

• A person may not transport any firearm in a boat or other watercraft being propelled by motor or sail unless the firearm is unloaded and contained in a case.

97B.055 DISCHARGING FIREARMS AND BOWS AND ARROWS.

Subd. 2.Restrictions related to motor vehicles. A person may not take a wild animal with a firearm or by archery from a motor vehicle except as permitted in this section. Notwithstanding section 97B.091, a person may transport a bow uncased while in an electric motor-powered boat and may take rough fish while in the boat.

I could not find a direct reference in the Minnesota Rules to the provision in the Waterfowl Regulations. In my practice it has been a given that there has to be a direct rule that is the basis for the entry in the published regulations.

I am not aware of any case that deals with the subject.

It may be legal in a canoe but you are at risk if you try it.

[BoxMN]

I know you can legally float a river and take watefrowl from a paddle/oar propelled boat, as long as the river is less than 100 yards wide (page 10 of waterfowl regs).

But I would guess that is just waterfowl. Let us know if you find out about non protected animals. (Just to know, as I don't hit rivers too often...)

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

Thanks Tom for the info. So I just need to step off the boat and blast them then.

[bigbucks]

I've read magazine articles about guys shooting deer out of their canoes with their bow. I don't know the law in this case, but would kind of assume it's probably okay with a boat or canoe not being propelled other than by hand.

[Neighbor_guy]

Thanks Tom for the info. So I just need to step off the boat and blast them then.

Just make sure you have permision to be there. Tresspass rules apply as soon as you touch the shore. If you are on my riverbank and start blasting away, you will get a visit from the county mounty.

[bigbucks]

Me too on that one.

[heat checker]

Aren't coons on the small game/furbearers list?

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

Not that I know of?

[Roamer]

10/24/09 - 03/15/10 Badger, Opossum and Raccoon season

Season dates copied from the MN hunting and trapping regulations book. Coon are protected with a season again. They were not for several years but are once again.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

Thanks roamer!

[hanso612]

Babe Winkleman did a show on driving deer off islands -on Lake of the Woods I think. The video showed him shooting from a boat? as the deer ran across a narrow saddle between islands. I would love to see more clarification on this practice. It sounds promissing. Any one else see this episode and know the rules?

[Neighbor_guy]

In that show he was on shore, but the bipod and the deer were both in the water. Rules up there are you can shoot over water, but both you and the deer must be in contact with the ground.

It was also Canada, and public land.

[harvey lee]

I would be more concerned with shooting towards shore in the dark as someone could be sitting there. In the daylight hours, there could be people walking through the woods that one cannot see and the bullet could hit them.

This does not sound like a very safe practice to me. I personally would not reccomend this at any time of the day.

[Powerstroke]

The rules about wanton waste still apply too. Just because something is a non-protected species doesn't mean you can kill them freely and leave them to rot. Also I would imagine that you might in danger of breaking trespass laws since you're shooting animals on land is probably not public land. It would be similar to shooting over a fence to kill something on land you don't have permission to hunt.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

I always take what I kill. Would never shot where it wasn't completely safe, but Tom you do bring up some good points. I was just wondering what the rules were.