Shotgun zone for taking deer elimination provision
Summary
SF2524 would eliminate Minnesota’s current “shotgun zone” for deer hunting during the regular firearms season and replace it with a statewide rule allowing all legal firearms to be used for taking deer. Under the bill, the existing geographic restrictions that limit hunters in part of the state to shotguns with single-slug shells, muzzleloaders, and handguns would be repealed, so the same firearms rules would apply across Minnesota during the regular firearms deer season.
The bill also requires the commissioner of natural resources to submit a report by December 1, 2028, to the legislative committees overseeing environment and natural resources. That report must evaluate the effects of removing the shotgun zone on deer hunting and deer populations and may include recommendations for further statutory or policy changes. The bill repeals Minnesota Statutes section 97B.318, which currently defines the shotgun use area and the firearms restrictions within it.
Impact
The bill would amend Minnesota Statutes section 97B.031 to authorize all legal firearms statewide during the regular firearms deer season and would repeal section 97B.318, which currently establishes the shotgun use area and related weapon restrictions. Its practical effect would be to remove a long-standing regional hunting restriction and standardize deer hunting firearm rules across the state. The bill would affect deer hunters, wildlife managers, and enforcement of game and fish regulations, while also creating a future reporting obligation for the Department of Natural Resources.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a regulatory simplification and expansion of hunting options rather than a controversial policy package. No committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the available materials. The inclusion of a required DNR report suggests an effort to monitor the biological and management effects of the change, which may help address concerns from both proponents and skeptics.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely to be whether eliminating the shotgun zone could affect deer population management, hunting safety, and regional hunting traditions. Supporters would likely favor broader firearm choice and statewide consistency, while opponents may worry that removing the zone could change hunting pressure, increase safety risks, or undermine management practices in areas that have long been subject to shotgun-only rules. The bill anticipates these concerns by requiring a later report on deer hunting and deer populations, but no specific stakeholder testimony is available in the record provided.
Requirements related to highway project development and highway purposes, including transportation cumulative impacts analysis, alternative design analysis, position of environmental justice ombudsperson, and permissible uses of certain highway funds modified.