How to know if a body of water is huntable?

[jeepguy]

I have been reading through the regs and cannot figure out a rule of thumb, any help would be appreciated.

[dan z]

if there is cover available the lake is huntable. I have hunted on some lake with houses scatered(sp) a around it you just have to stay a far as you can away from those houses. if there are cattails I hunt that lake no if and or butts I just hunt it. I have yet to be stopped by the warden... KNOCK ON WOOD

[Scott M]

How far away are homes? Is there public access? Need a lot more details, best thing is to call the patrolling C.O. to find out for sure.

[Tom7227]

You have to be 500 feet from a habitable structure. Can you tell my looking if you're 500 feet? If you have a regular spot go to Google Earth and measure it out. you might be surprised. Up in Hugo there's a big pizzing contest going on because some folks are not happy with hunting on Bald Eagle.

[B. Amish]

can u be closer than 500' if you have permission. i thought that was the case.

[BoxMN]

You CAN be closer than 500' if waterfowl hunting (legally, within proper vegetation) over water, by state law. But some local ordinances trump that (like Hugo) so you need to know if there are any local laws.

A CO will not ticket you for local ordinances, but ask them to find out for yourself.

[RumRiverRat]

You have to be 500 feet from a habitable structure. Can you tell my looking if you're 500 feet? If you have a regular spot go to Google Earth and measure it out. you might be surprised. Up in Hugo there's a big pizzing contest going on because some folks are not happy with hunting on Bald Eagle.

Wrong!

The 500 foot rule does not apply on the water.

[mpester]

But the 500' rule does apply to livestock. The rules in this state give me a headache!

[RumRiverRat]

But the 500' rule does apply to livestock. The rules in this state give me a headache!

Not if you are on the water.

I hunt a lake where the cattle are within 100 yards of many of the spots on the lake.

The CO has comeout and checked us in his boat while hunting this lake.

Never said anything about it.

One of the best spots on this lake is right in front of someones house, less than 25 yards away, they also have horses that are about 75 yards away.

Never heard a peep from the CO about the 500' rule.

[airdriver]

Careful here, the DNR ONLY can enforce state regs. NOT local (most of the time). When it comes to gun discharge laws the best bet is the city police or county sheriff. Some places have up to 1500' regs, some lakes have places that are restricted(eg. the nuke plant in near Becker) due to zoning, local lake restrictions, etc.. I have asked many C/O's about if places are legal to hunt and have been told many times to call the local police(or sheriff). Take lake Minnetonka, hunting regs 500' and in the weeds, I bet the Hennipen county sheriff would have something different to say about that. There is another city in the metro has a WMA on it, and you can not hunt it due to local firearm discharge law, even the DNR HSOforum says you can not hunt the WMA because of local law.

[PC's]

So your sayin if i find some cattails on lake nokomis i can hunt it?

[airdriver]

Hooked on phonics didn't work for you

[BlueBillStacker]

me and my huntin buddy have a spot in mind that we were told holds lots of ducks plenty of water to hunt the problem is its divided by county lines and one county u can hunt and the other the discharge of firearms are illegal if someone can help me out i will return the favor its a metro lake and i wanna get out their [email protected]

[HUNTINGBAILEY]

I asked a CO this same question and he said that if there is a public access that it is huntable, but he also said that you have to watch out for city ordinaces prohibiting discharge of firearm. I have heard of the 500' rule also. So this is still clear as mud. If there is a lake you want to hunt call the city to make sure its ok.

[Tom7227]

DNR CO's are licensed peace officers and can enforce any law, and any other law enforcement officer can enforce any law, including the hunting and fishing regs. The most likely chose not to do so but it isn't because they can't.

I have been trying to check on the 500 foot discharge statute but the revisor's HSOforum is down today. I wonder if prior posters who claim it doesn't apply to water, or that the landowner can waive the law, can provide support for those claims. I question the accuracy.

[chub]

The only support I can offer is I and others I know have hunted in such situations, and have been confronted by LEO's, and told we were within our right to hunt these places.

Doesn't always make for a happy homeowner, but one area in particular has been a hunting club since the thirties(or earlier), and if someone decides to build right on the prop line....... .

[RumRiverRat]

I have been trying to check on the 500 foot discharge statute but the revisor's HSOforum is down today. I wonder if prior posters who claim it doesn't apply to water, or that the landowner can waive the law, can provide support for those claims. I question the accuracy.

straight from the book Page 8

• On another person’s private land or a public right-of-way, a person

may not take a wild animal with a firearm within 500 feet of a

building occupied by humans or livestock without written permission.

• A person may not take a wild animal with a firearm within 500 feetof a corral containing

livestock without permission.

The rule says nothing about water.

The 500 foot does not apply on the water, Call a CO and they will confirm it.

The reason you cannot hunt Lake Minnetonka is because it is within the city limits of Minnetonka and they have a No Firearms Discharge Ordinance.

I have hunted the Rum River in St Francis just down stream of County Road 24, it is in the city limits and I am withing 300 feet of several nice homes.

Never been questioned when hunting the spot.

Once you are North of 157th Ave in Oak Grove you can hunt anywhere North of there in Anoka County.

[Tom7227]

Minn Stat 97B.001 TRESPASS.

Subd. 7.Taking with firearms in certain areas.

(a) A person may not take a wild animal with a firearm within 500 feet of a building occupied by a human or livestock without the written permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee:

(1) on another person's private land; or

(2) on a public right-of-way.

( A person may not take a wild animal with a firearm without the permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee, within 500 feet of a stockade or corral containing livestock.

I do not see an exception for water. I would not take a CO's opinion as the final word. That person may not chose to read it or enforce it but another may feel differently.

[BoxMN]

DNR CO's are licensed peace officers and can enforce any law, and any other law enforcement officer can enforce any law, including the hunting and fishing regs. The most likely chose not to do so but it isn't because they can't.

I have been trying to check on the 500 foot discharge statute but the revisor's HSOforum is down today. I wonder if prior posters who claim it doesn't apply to water, or that the landowner can waive the law, can provide support for those claims. I question the accuracy.

Tom, if you ask a CO, they will tell you. I also asked via email to the main downtown office, where my neice works directly with CO boss, and was very specific with wording. The answer is yes you can, but following any local ordinances.

But don't take my word for it, as usual, I am just saying what I was told

[Cheetah]

So your sayin if i find some cattails on lake nokomis i can hunt it?

You're kidding right? Lake Nokomis? Right in the middle of Minneapolis?

[dan z]

Originally Posted By: PC's

So your sayin if i find some cattails on lake nokomis i can hunt it?

You're kidding right? Lake Nokomis? Right in the middle of Minneapolis?

dont be a dork