Mojo Decoys and remotes

[ironrangegemneye]

There is nothing in the 2009 waterfowl regulations about the use of wireless remotes for motorized decoys being illegal, but someone mentioned to me that they might be illegal in Minnesota. Does anyone know the answer to this? If it is illegal, I wonder why it does not state anything in the regs.

[S 16 Guy]

Basically I was told by law enforcement in St. Paul a couple of years ago that there IS a regulation in place dictating that we cannot use a remote controlled electronic device to aid in getting game.

They said something to the effect that when this rule was put in place it was intended for something along the lines of big game, but it doesn't specify.

So basically I was told it would be a big ordeal, including going through a state congressional change to allow "mojo remotes" on our decoys.

Basically they aren't legal. But I can say they make the remotes VERY small

[Scraps]

Page 27 of reg book:

Radios and Other Wireless Devices

*Useing walkie talkies, cell phones, remote control or other radio equipment to take big or small game in unlawful

[CatchPhotoFilet]

i dont see what it matters. cell phones would be pretty hard to enforce since wire tapping is illegal. On the other hand, handhelds communication can easily be intercepted. I have to mojos for what its worth anymore. I hunt in Canada a lot and believe that birds are becoming conditioned to mojo ducks. They used to work wonders many years ago when they first came out. So many hunters use them now and birds get hunted almost all year round. I dont think they are any where as effected as they used to be.

[Stringerless!]

Before they made them illegal the ducks on the Wma I hunt would actually flare from them after about the second weekend. I counted 19 on the refuge road one day ! No wonder huh!

[dan z]

there is a time and place for mojo's...

And I would not use a remote for them in MN as its NOT LEGAL

However If you have the nutz to do it with direct wire to a battery in the boat and shut it off and on that would be legal

[brittman]

There was a thread on this web site a few weeks ago that debated this in detail. Some even report that some COs are interpreting the rule differently.

That said it is in there. In MN waterfowl are classified under the small game umbrella and wireless remotes are illegal. As noted above it is on page 27 of the main handbook:

Quote:

Radios and Other Wireless Devices

• Using walkie talkies, cell phones, remote control or other radio

equipment to take big game or small game is unlawful.

The direct wire route maybe iffy in a boat, but when hunting in the field with a couple spinners - would be deadly. No different than running wires for speakers during spring snow g season.

[RumRiverRat]

I am actually working on a laser activation system for the Mojo Ducks.

I am still working on the prototype and hope to have it working so I can test it this season.

A laser system would be completely legal.

[brittman]

Good question on the laser. If you are using a REMOTE device what does it matter if it is a laser pointer or a remote device that runs on infrared or radio signals. Many home electronics work on IR signal. These are remote control devices too.

All you are changing is the wavelength of the signal .... triggering the responce (decoy on or off).

I'd look into this a little closer.

[RumRiverRat]

Good question on the laser. If you are using a REMOTE device what does it matter if it is a laser pointer or a remote device that runs on infrared or radio signals. Many home electronics work on IR signal. These are remote control devices too.

All you are changing is the wavelength of the signal .... triggering the responce (decoy on or off).

I'd look into this a little closer.

The law does not mention anything about lasers.

It specifically forbids Remote Controls and other Radio Devices.

The Key word is Radio.

The Mojo remotes are Radio based, the way the law is written lasers are legal.

[shnelson]

It would be nice if the regulations weren't left so open to interpretation...

My take on it is that any type of device - wired, wireless, laser, etc, used to remotely control the mojo is illegal. The keyword is remote - if you're any significant distance away (ie out of arms reach) to control the device, you are technically 'remote'. An example would be those old TV's that had the remote tethered to it by wire. It was directly connected to the TV, but still considered a remote because you didn't have to reach for the TV itself. It does get a bit cloudy because the regulations mention 'remote or radio control', so maybe they do just mean rf/wireless frequency control is not allowed.

Personally, I don't think it is worth the risk. It wouldn't hurt to put a call into the local CO and get their take on it if you really wanted to put one to use though.

[poutpro]

Originally Posted By: brittman

Good question on the laser. If you are using a REMOTE device what does it matter if it is a laser pointer or a remote device that runs on infrared or radio signals. Many home electronics work on IR signal. These are remote control devices too.

All you are changing is the wavelength of the signal .... triggering the responce (decoy on or off).

I'd look into this a little closer.

The law does not mention anything about lasers.

It specifically forbids Remote Controls and other Radio Devices.

The Key word is Radio.

The Mojo remotes are Radio based, the way the law is written lasers are legal.

It specifically says that "remote controls" are pohibited. Anything that allows you to control somehting from a remote location I would consider to be a "remote control".

[carpshooterdeluxe]

i run 16 gauge speaker wire and an on/off/intermittent switch "remotely" from where i sit..mojo in the spread. been checked 3 times in the last 3 years with this setup. no tickets and one "slick way to think outside the box" from one CO.

[jigginjim]

If I hunt any area where i can walk to put the mojo out I MAY run a speaker wire. But I'm still wondering about the remote idea.