3 bear baits? next year?

[lichen fox]

The Dnr Rulemaking is taking comments on some proposed rule changes....comments are open through Oct.29...here's the current wording on the 3 bait per hunter rule we discussed earlier....More info go to dnr site, public input - rulemaking-wildlife...there are links there to all the proposed rule changes and comment procedures....

6232.3200 BAIT STATIONS AND GARBAGE DUMPS.

Proposed Rule Package No. 2

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

8/28/2009

2

Subpart 1. Bait station restriction.

A. A person may not establish, service, maintain, or sign any bear bait station prior to the Friday nearest August 14.

B. In order to establish, service, maintain, or sign any bear bait station, a person must have a valid bear license or be operating under the direction of a person with a valid bear license.

C. No more than 3 bait stations may be placed at a time for each licensed hunter. If a hunter wishes to establish a different bait station one of their existing bait stations must be removed. Each licensed bear hunting outfitter may establish up to 3 bait stations in addition to bait stations placed for licensed hunters.

[Jmnhunter]

when I move back to MN i plan on baiting bears again and if this new law passes it wouldnt affect me much as I only can keep up with 2 anyway. having 3 is about right for a typical bear hunter I would assume anyhow.

[bogwalker]

Sounds great to me.

[charliepete]

My buddy and I usually put out 6 or 7 for 2 guys and hope we get 4 that hit. This rule affects me a little, but I'm in full support because I've had areas taken over by guides that put a bait every 400 yards on public land.

[charliepete]

I should also add....I wish they'd change the regs in Minnesota so that you couldn't guide on public land. If you want to charge clients, pay a land owner for access instead of sticking it to the average guy.

[lichen fox]

Well, if it's any condolance they've also added more requirementss of bear guides in order to get thier license...they include...

A. CPR cerification

B. Advanced hunter education/bear outfitter clinic

C. Be eligible to possess a Mn big game license

D. Score at least 70 on a written bear outfitting exam

Plus other reports regarding information of the hunters they guided must be sent to the dnr within 24 hours after that hunter is done hunting with them regardless if they were successful or not....

So, they are stepping up the requirements to be an outfitter now too...

[lichen fox]

While I'm not totaly in favor of the three bait per hunter restriction...I really think that Bear Outfitters should at least be limited to the amount of Public Land that they have access to bait on....In Canada they are assigned a given tract of land....and you don't have 3-4 or even 5 outfitters running the same area...that's when it really gets crowded! How about they allow each Outfitter 10 sections....(6,400 acres)...of Public Land and they would be the only Outfitter in those 10 sections...for it to work, the Public Land assigned would all have to be in "one block"...they could still hunt all the Private land that they could get permission on and their only competition on Public Land would be the do-it-yourself guys like myself...I think it would help overcrowding enormously in certain areas...if you agree go on the dnr HSOforum and send your comments!

[Olfster]

All seem to be very reasonable regulation changes.

[Boar]

Hmmm... I run three sites for the first time this year.... an to me it's almost a pain in the butt. next year i'm going back to one or two..... wait i'm going to Ontario, never mind.. Boar, although if I run home sites again it wont be more than two.

[themink]

i can see the outfitter on state land argument, but since nobody has said anything about baiting on their own land i thought id add my two cents, i farm and am fortunate to have land of my own to hunt, and someone telling me i can only have three baits out is just ridiculous, i wouldnt mind a 3 stations on state land per hunter, but i hope they don't limit land owners and farmers, we have bear damage every year in our sunflowers and they are really tough to bait once they are in them, i try every year to get them within bow range and do it the right way, instead of blasting them with the rifle in the flowers, which has had to happen before due to the economic damage that can occur, i want to be able to bait these bears, sometimes i will start with 10 baits or so out before i find a few that are going? just a different perspective.

[Boar]

I agree if a land ownerr has the capability to run more than three site on his property then so be it. Boar

[lichen fox]

Log on to the dnr site and make your comments there by oct. 29th!

[leech~~]

Whats with the proposal title? BAIT STATIONS and GARBAGE DUMPS What's Garbage dumps have to do with it? I hate when they tie long term everyday societal issues in a proposal with a short term recreational one. The guidelines they come up with to try and manage them both don't always have good outcomes for the recreational side!