where does the invasive sticker go?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Apparently those that refuse to comply with the simple task of putting a FREE sticker on their boats and trailers really do not care what happens to the lakes and streams in this state!

The sticker does not even have to be in sight!

It is required simply to make all boaters aware of the invasive species and to try to do their part to help slow or stop them.

I sure hope that your ticket is a very large one!

Cliff

[Midnight1890]

If this is the biggest problem we have (putting a sticker somewhere)I think our lives must be pretty good!

[Scott K]

Apparently those that refuse to comply with the simple task of putting a FREE sticker on their boats and trailers really do not care what happens to the lakes and streams in this state!

The sticker does not even have to be in sight!

It is required simply to make all boaters aware of the invasive species and to try to do their part to help slow or stop them.

I sure hope that your ticket is a very large one!

Cliff

Thats jumping to conclusions!

I care very much about the waters, and resources of the state!

So, what if next year, the State Troopers told you that you need to put a sticker on your car that read, "Exceeding the speed limit is against the law, if the sign says 55, 56 is breaking the law". Would you support such a sticker? Would you be running out to get a sticker for your car, because it is going to make everyone comply? Some of you probably would run to find your sticker. Me, I would protest it as well. Stupid law, and a waste of money. Knowing the state, they shopped around to find the most expensive place to make the stickers, and probably cost a buck each. For what?

[CaptainMusky]

I put mine on the windshield. That way I can take the dang thing off easy when new ones come out. I wouldnt ever put something like this on a painted surface regardless if its below water line or not. My buddy said he was going to "wrap" his boat in these things. LOL

Its a little pointless, but I suppose there was some fine print reading lawyer that said they couldnt enforce laws without something like this.

[dakor]

Here is my point if the signs at the dock, Billboards and commercials on TV are not enough, how exactly is a sticker that I could put inside my rod locker on the bottom of the door never to be seen until I am asked if I have one on the boat going to help? The point is the government does not have the right to use my personal property as a billboard for their message and any good lawyer would have a field day with this in court. That is basically what it is using people's property to spread a message. I drain my live wells and pull my plug and clean my trailer off every time I pull the boat out and I fish Lake Winnie about 99% of the time so I don’t lake hop. So I do not want to hear that I do not care about invasive species or weeds because I won't have a sticker on my rig. That is the problem with this country people just roll over it is not that big of deal and that is why we are in the shape we are in today. Instead of calling your Senators and flooding the DNR with calls and email people will just roll over. So if a free sticker is not a big deal would you be willing to put one of my business stickers on your boat, trailer or truck?

[reinhard1]

the bottom portion of the sticker does serve a great purpose. it even says to seperate that portion and to put that part near your winch. it says in big letters "CHECK YOUR DRAIN PLUG". well that can work both ways. while i always pull the drain plug, i have on occation forgotten to put in in. i dont like a lot of this but it is what it is and we have to comply with the law. i thing most of us on here and around the state do what the stickers say and have done so for a long time and dont need the reminders. but it is because of the non-compliance rate that these measures are taken so it affects us all. these stickers wont bother me at all while i'm fishing. good luck.

[harvey lee]

4wanderingeyes

Since you are so against this, what is your proposal to stop the spread of AIS and get people to pull plugs, remove weeds and so on? Many here say they are against this law and that is there choice but noone ever wants to tell anyone else what they would do to help slow the spread or for that matter stop it. They are against what the DNR is making law yet they have no alternative for a change other than-I DO NOT LIKE IT.

I am sure the decal has to be with everyone that has watercraft or they wouls hire an atty to fight this saying they did not know the new laws.

It always happens that the DNR has to change the law as some always want to sue.

Here is one example, the DNR was using deer decoy's to stop poaching at night. Then a few poachers decided to hire an atty to fight and say there was no law for shooting at a fake deer. So, new laws have now addressed this.

So due to the fact that our society is so sue crazy, they have to cover thier butts and do everything they can to put some teeth into this law only because some sportsmen and women believe they do not have to follow any laws and should be able to do as they please.

That's today's world so now we get new laws with all the possible teeth it can have.

Some asked for it and now look what we have.

[Scott K]

Here are a couple more dumb laws in MN. But atleast they dont make us put a sticker on for them!

What would I do to stop the spread? I think it is a little late to stop the spread of zeebs, and millfoil. You can slow it, but to spend millions, and millions of dollars to slow the spread, and "TRY" to change people, and make them put stickers on their boats, seems silly to me, and a waste of time, and money. I think they should focus on the more serious AIS Asian Carp! Zebra mussels, and millfoil arent going to kill some one, or have near the effects of Asian Carp. But instead of doing something about the Asian Carp, before it is to late, lets waste time and money trying to SLOW the spread of weeds, and clams, that cant be prevented any more. Maybe after most of the waters are already infested with Asian carp, they can put some stickers on the dams, so the carp wont go through them. But I suppose they would need to print the dam stickers in many different languages, so the carp can read that they arent suppose to go through the dams.

[reinhard1]

you cant enter Wisconsin with a chicken on your head but you can wear cheese on top of their head. i would put a sticker on the head "any cheese but limburger" . good luck.

[YumYum]

Apparently those that refuse to comply with the simple task of putting a FREE sticker on their boats and trailers really do not care what happens to the lakes and streams in this state!

Just how does anyone come to the determination that this is a "FREE" sticker ?

[harvey lee]

+1 RH1.

I think you can enter Wisc or any other state with a chicken or all the crow you want as long as they have papers. I hope they do not pass a law that a Chevy cannot pull a LUND boat.

1 stickers for the Asain carp Scott as they speak every language. We can make all the things up we want but that gets us nowhere.

Scott, as with any law, not all will agree. I guess the ones that do not agree with this law should have gotten together and went to St Paul to give there thoughts on this and explained to them a better way to handle this.

If you are that against this law, you have the next 2 years to get a group of people together with all the facts on AIS and go to St Paul and tell them how they did everything wrong and how your plan will fix all our issues. I am 100% sure they will hear your thoughts.

It is so easy for all of us to sit back and not like what our Rep's pass as laws instead of trying to do something about and then after the fact, moan about it.

I do not like many things our Gov does but I do contact my reps and tell them what I believe. No, I do not always see the vote go my way but I know that they knew how myself and many others felt.

I just went through this with the Cable project in Sibley county. I like the idea of it but with the possible huge increase in the property owners taxes if it did not fly was simply overwheming. So, I went out and talked to many, gathered signatures and so on and gave that to my County Commissioners so they realized that many were very concerned about the high possible costs to the tax payers. Now they have sent this to the Township officers to see how they feel and I have contacted every single one of them. I aslo pushed hard in Arlington and the counsel turned it down for one huge reason, not enough people interested and the possible overwheming costs to the tax payers.

With all the members here who are against this, I never saw 1 petition on HSO for members to sign to send to the Rep's who do the voting to make the new laws. I have no idea if this would have helped but they would have heard the voice of many very concerned about this.

You got it Yum Yum, the decal maybe free when you pick it up but the tax payers will foot the bill right along with the watercraft owners when they renew thier registration.

[Grum]

LOL 4wanderingeyes, gotta love those blue laws. I love this one. "Red cars may not drive down Lake Street." (I'm still waiting to to get pulled over for this.)

I wonder what will happen when we are using one of the dnr wash stations and we accidentally blast the sticker off?

I personally don't have a problem with stickers. When I was a kid following the Grateful Dead, stickers were the only thing holding that car together.

I also don't like the government telling me what to do with my personal property. But I'd rather comply than be the guy holding up a the line while I get into to a futile argument with a C.O. at the launch.

So maybe someone would like to start a thread to see just how many would be willing to sign a petition to put an end to the stickers? We could send it to our state rep or the DNR or both.

[russ]

On a side note concerning bait buckets. Changing water in your bait bucket only applies to portable bait buckets. If you have a built in bait well your good to go. Yeah, I'll get the sticker eventually and stick it somewhere. So are these alleged wash stations going to be near lakes known to be infested or can they be anywhere? If one of the options is to air dry for five days can I refuse the forced wash stations and tell them its gonna air dry for five days? Boy, this brings up all kinds of schemes to avoid big brother.

[Superduty]

People just don't get it. If it were as simple as picking weeds off the trailer and pulling the plug and putting a sticker on the boat to remind us to do those things, I would be all for it.

The simple truth is that the only way to stop or even slow down the spread of microscopic organisms from one body of water to another is to stop moving boats between bodies of water. That means close the public access. PERIOD! The scientists know this and will gladly tell you off the record. The lawmakers are being forced to do something for the sake of doing something. Politics control fish/wildlife management. The biologists do not and that is unfortunate.

Good luck to all in their quest to sticker or not to sticker! Heck I might be on my third boat by 2014!

[Down Deep]

On a side note concerning bait buckets. Changing water in your bait bucket only applies to portable bait buckets.

I think you need to reread the law. Besides I can see someone not wanting to put a sticker in a boat, but to somehow not want to drain the water from their boat or onboard baitwell is IMO intentional wanton defiance of the law and its intent and ought to be fined.

MINNESOTA LAWS

It is unlawful to:

transport aquatic plants (see: exceptions in statute), round goby, zebra mussels, or other prohibited species

launch a watercraft with aquatic plants, zebra mussels, or prohibited/regulated invasive species attached

transport water from designated infested waters

transport water from lakes or rivers in boats, livewells, and bait containers

transport watercraft and water-related equipment that hold water from a water access site or riparian property without draining them by removing the drain plug and opening water-draining devices

[DTro]

I'm going to put a big sticker on my boat that says. "St Croix River: We beat Zeebs without a sticker"

http://www.startribune.com/local/east/146207365.html

[flyfisher03]

Maybe the Feds should step in here and require boat and trailer manufacturers to apply the "evil" sticker, and make a law banning the removal of the sticker.

[FM_Mike]

Since you are so against this, what is your proposal to stop the spread of AIS and get people to pull plugs, remove weeds and so on? Many here say they are against this law and that is there choice but noone ever wants to tell anyone else what they would do to help slow the spread or for that matter stop it. They are against what the DNR is making law yet they have no alternative for a change other than-I DO NOT LIKE IT.

Harvey, I have been following the rules in affect before they were being mandated. It was only common sense. Will a sticker make me do any thing differently than I am doing now? NO.

I am concerned with what I do and it's up to everyone else to do the proper things when it comes to EASING the spread of things.

The people now who don't care enough to help control the spread are NOT going to do so because of a sticker on the boat.

As another poster stated, If the message is not out by now, a sticker is not going to help, it won't hurt, but funds could be spent in others areas that need help.

Money could be better spent IMO talking about this on Radio as an infomercial, a tag at the end of fishing shows, a poster at the bait stores and fishing departments, cover of the fishing regulations. A resort handout for all vacationers, a bill board on the highways, boat plates that have special colors to signify removal, and last put not least, talk to your fellow boaters and help each other police ourselves.

On a lighter note, I do like the idea of the sticker on the winch as it will remind me to PUT THE PLUG BACK IN. That has been an issue for me.

Mike

[Scott K]

Sorry, I dont do politics! If I was going to go around and get a petition, it would be to get rid of the govt. I am sure there would be plenty of people to sign that! I am a much better complainer on a forum, then a speaker, or a petition getter. I also am not a follower, and more so a rebel, just a quiet, peaceful one.

Do you guys honestly think the DNR is dumb enough to believe a stupid sticker is going to do anything at all? All they want is proof that when you accidentally leave your boat plug in, they can write you a ticket, because they have proof that you knew the law, by that stupid sticker! I do my best not to transfer AIS, and use very good judgement about it. My style of fishing, and the fact that I soley fish one body of water 99% of the time, chances are pretty good that I wont be spreading anything. Pulling my plug isnt easy to do, and sometimes at 2am when I come off the water, the plug will get left in at times. But when I will be hitting the same body of water within 12 hours, and have a 2 minute drive to my house, I cant imagine I will spread anything.

By the rare occasion I actually fish a different body of water, I wash my boat out good, inside and out. But that one time every 3 years my boat sees different water, and the 100+ days a year my boat is out, it really is senseless to pull my plug everytime. So this law to some lake hoppers is a great thing, but to those of us that fish the same water all year, it really isnt going to do any good, other then to give me something to complain about at 2am, at the landing, in the dark, with mosquitos biting me like crazy. Just to drive 3 blocks home, then to go back on the same water 12 hours later.

[Transporter]

I read the requirements and it is true that my commercial vessels which can not be trailered as well as any commercial vessels that are in or enter MN waters be it by land or sea or connecting waterways must have the sticker.

The true irony of this will be freighters and saltys coming into Duluth harbor displaying the "sticker".

[hugonian1]

I just read thru this thread.

I really don't think people are against a sticker.

I think they are against the concept that our great DNR has come up with this idea that having a sticker hidden away on the inside of a door or under a seat will help resolve this problem.

And to further be fined in a couple of years if we don't have this hidden sticker.

Should we be required to have a sticker hidden on the bottom of our deer stands reminding us of hunting rules or stuck inside the barrel of our guns reminding us we can't use lead shot while duck hunting.

There is a cost to this program and those funds could be put to better use.

To that end, I will get my sticker and hide it somewhere in my boat and all will be well.

[Gordie]

Most guys will put just about any and every kind of sticker they can on their boat but if its required by law to do it, it will start the biggest up roar.

maybe they thing the fish won't bite if its visable or something to that effect.

I guess if the DNR has to search for it then they can uncover other infractions that you may have and really start writting up a ticket.

Any who I put mine on my trailerunder the winch and the other part on my steering consel

[RumRiverRat]

Apparently those that refuse to comply with the simple task of putting a FREE sticker on their boats and trailers really do not care what happens to the lakes and streams in this state!

The sticker does not even have to be in sight!

It is required simply to make all boaters aware of the invasive species and to try to do their part to help slow or stop them.

I sure hope that your ticket is a very large one!

Cliff

[Scott M]

Money could be better spent IMO talking about this on Radio as an infomercial, a tag at the end of fishing shows, a poster at the bait stores and fishing departments, cover of the fishing regulations. A resort handout for all vacationers, a bill board on the highways, boat plates that have special colors to signify removal, and last put not least, talk to your fellow boaters and help each other police ourselves.

Good suggestions. Most of those have been done already. Resort handouts, the Twins helped with public service announcements, posters were made, etc. Theoretically a required sticker means the recipient has no chance of missing the message versus a billboard, radio infomercial, page 14 of the fishing regs, etc.

[tencountff]

I know where I'd like to tell the DNR where they can put it. Hope they invented some new glue so stickers will stick to feathers so they can put one on every duck and goose.